7  MS 


COL,  WILLIAM  HILL'S  MEMOIRS 


OF 


v-r*t  f  i**    i"*T*¥iv\w  w  f T"i ir\m 

THE  REVOLUTION 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


COL.  WILLIAM  HILL'S  MEMOIRS 

OF 

THE  REVOLUTION 


Edited  by 

A.  S.  SALLEY,  JR. 
Secretary  of  the  Historical  Commission  of  South  Carolina 


Printed  for 

THE  HISTORICAL  COMMISSION  OF  SOUTH  CAROLINA 

By  1'lie  State  Company,  Columbia,  S.  C. 
1921 


INTRODUCTION 

As  will  be  seen  by  the  certificate  of  Thomas  Sumter.  at  the  end 
of  this  volume,  Col.  Hill  placed  his  manuscript  account  of  his 
experiences  in  the  campaigns  subsequent  to  the  fall  of  Charles 
Town  in  1780  in  the  hand  of  Gen.  Sumter,  father  of  the  signer 
of  the  certificate,  at  some  time  prior  to  the  death  of  Gen.  Sumter 
in  1832.  Gen  Sumter  made  some  corrections  by  interlineations 
and  by  striking  out  words,  and  sometimes  inserting  others  in 
their  stead.  These  corrections  were  only  to  improve  the  English 
or  to  supply  words  that  were  evidently  omitted;  none  of  the 
statements  made  was  corrected. 

It  will  also  be  seen  by  Mr.  Sumter's  statement  that  over  two 
years  after  the  death  of  Gen.  Sumter  the  manuscript  was  returned 
to  a  son  of  Col.  Hill,  but  that  before  that  was  done  Mr.  J.  W. 
Brownfield,  son-in-law  of  Mr.  Sumter,  had  made  a  copy  thereof. 
Mr.  Sumter  and  Thomas  D.  Sumter  then  compared  the  Brown- 
field  copy  with  the  original  and  saw  that  they  accorded  before 
the  original-  was  returned  to  the  Hill  family.  This  Brownfield 
copy  remained  in  the  Brownfield  family  until  a  few  years  ago, 
when  it  was  presented  to  the  Library  of  Congress  by  the  surviv- 
ing daughters  of  Mr.  Brownfield  who  resided  at  Summerville. 
Through  the  kindness  of  John  R.  Hart,  Esq.,  of  York,  a  photo- 
static  copy  of  the  Brownfield  manuscript  was  procured  from  the 
Library  of  Congress,  and  the  negative  thereof  was  used  as 
printer's  copy  in  setting  this.  Wherever  Gen.  Sumter  interlined 
or  scratched  out  anything  in  the  original  text  a  foot  note  is  given 
to  such  interlineations  or  expurgations.  We  are  uninformed  as 
to  what  became  of  the  original  manuscript  of  the  memoirs  which 
was  returned  to  Col.  Hill's  son  in  1835. 


56O133 

HISTORY 


THE  AUTHOR  TO  THE  READER 


For  near  30  years,  I  have  been  waiting  with  hopes  that  some 
person  fitly  qualified  both  in  abilities  and  knowledge  of  facts, 
would  have  undertaken  to  rectify  some  great  mistakes,  which 
have  been  made  by  the  historians  who  have  wrote  on  the  revolu- 
tion in  So-Ca-  Charity  will  oblige  me  to  suppose  that  the  mis- 
representations that  have  been  made  was  owing  to  correct  infor- 
mation being  wanted,  and  not  by  design;  but  whatever  was  the 
cause,  the  fact  is  that  great  misrepresentations  have  been  made 
and  one  in  particular  of  the  action  of  Kings  Mountain  in  this 
State,  and  as  the  result  of  that  battle,  was  one  grand  link  in  the 
great  chain  of  Providence  &  events  that  broke  the  plans  of  the 
enemy,  to  hold  the  Southern  states  as  British  provinces,  it  ought 
to  be  handed  down  to  posterity,  and  more  especially  as  we  are 
now  engaged  in  war,  to  support  our  independence — it  is  the 
design  of  the  author  to  rectify  the  mistakes  that  have  unhappily 
been  made:  and  I  do  declare  to  the  readers,  that  it  is  not  from 
any  peculiar  motive  or  design  of  the  author  to  be  known  as  a 
historian  (as  I  am  conscious  I  am  not  qualified  for  the  task)  — 
I  can  relate  facts  (which  I  know  of  my  own  certain  knowledge) 
in  the  naked  dress  of  truth — and  it  hath  so  happened  that  there 
is  not  now  alive  any  other  person,  that  can  write  so  fully  of  so 
many  facts  as  I  can — and  as  no  other  has  undertaken  the  task, 
that  hath  the  same  knowledge.  I  have  with  reluctance  taken  it 
upon  myself —  In  the  reading  of  both  military  &  Civil,  or  Legis- 
lative transactions  the  designing  eye  (and  more  especially  these 
who  are  yet  alive  that  had  any  agency  in  the  transactions)  will 
see  that  there  was  a  Providence  that  overruled  the  actions  of 
men,  who  brought  forth  means  to  carry  forth  the  great  work- 
It  will  be  seen  that  Gen1.  Sumter  who  had  the  merit  of1  first, 
gen1  officer,  that  made  any  opposition  to  the  enemy  after  the  fall 
of  Charleston,  they  having  overrun  the  Country;  and  all  So. 
Ca.  had  submitted  to  their  power  except  the2  new  acquisition, 
now  York  district. — that  Gen1.  Sumter  was  prevented  from  being 
with  the  party  at  Kings  Mountain,  and  having  then  the  chief 
command,  that  he  was  necessarily  absent  by  reason  of  the  treach- 
erous conduct  of  an  officer,  that  is  the  only  one  of  So.  Co.  that  is 
named  by  the  historians,  and  at  the  same  time  the  only  officers 
that  was  instrumental  to  bring  about  that  great  event,  is  not 

interlined  above  is :  being  the 
^Interlined   above  is :   the  part  called  the 


mentiond— and  altho'  it  is  disagreeable  to  state  facts  that  may 
hurt  the  character  of  the  dead  or  wound  the  feelings  of  the  living 
yet  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Historian : — and  the1  .duty  of  the  living, 
if  their  friends2  acted  improperly,  is  for  them  not  to  follow  their 
example — That  the  present  generation  may  copy  after  the  laud- 
able example  of  their  forefathers  and  make  use  of  all  the  means 
which  God  &  nature  hath  given  them: — and  to  hold  that  inde- 
pendence purchased  so  so  dearly  by  their  fathers,  and  have  a 
proper  trust  in  that  Power  who  governs  the  affairs  of  nations, 
is  the  Prayer  and  wish  of  the  author- (Signed)  Wm.  Hill 
Febv.  1815— 


^Interlined  above  is:  only 
^Interlined  above  is :  have 


Shortly  after  the  fall  of  Charleston  which  happened  the  12th- 
of  May  1780  the  British  had  advanced  above  Camden  to  the 
Waxsaw  &  fixed  a  post  at  Rocky  Mount,  and  Granby.  on  the 
Congarees,  Orangeburg  &  &c.  At  that  time  all  the  upper  division 
of  the  State  was  commanded  by  Gen1.  Pickens,  as  Gen1.  William- 
son that  had  the  chief  command  previous  to  that  time,  turned  a 
traitor  to  his  country.  &  went  to  the  enemy  then  in  Savannah. 
&  made  his  peace  with  them —  Previous  to  the  fall  of  Charles- 
ton, at  that  time  there  being  a  considerable  quantity  of  arms  & 
ammunition  deposited  at  a  fort  in  Xinety  Six  District,  the  British 
commander  Earl  Cornwallis,  commissioned  a  certain  Cap*.  Par- 
ris,  that  commanded  about  80  tories,  to  go  ahead  of  his  troops 
to  take  the  submissions  of  all  the  Americans  that  was  disposd. 
to  become  British  subjects,  to  this  Parriss  &  his  small  party  of 
Tories,  did  Gen1.  Pickens  submit  &  surrender  the  beforemen- 
tioned  fort,  together  with  all  the  military  stores.  And  likewise 
marched  several  hundred  men  with  their  arms.  &  surrendered 
to  the  said  Parriss —  -  When  these  events  came  to  be  known,  to 
the  citizens  in  the  new  acquisition,  now  Yk.  D*.  the  two  Col5, 
commanding  that  dis*.  namely  Watson  &  Bratton.1  as  it  was  then 
the  custom  to  have  two  CoK  to  a  Regiment,  they  then  appointed 
a  meeting  of  the  Reg1,  at  a  place  called  Bullocks  creek  meeting 
house  At  this  meeting,  they  did  not  encourage  the  men,  but 
much2  the  reverse,  by  telling  them  that  they  had  hitherto  done 
their  duty.  But  it  appeared  to  them  that  any  further  opposition 
to  the  British  would  not  avail  &  as  for  their  parts  could  have 
nothing  more  to  say  to  them  as  officers  but  to  advise  each  of  them 
to  do  the  best  they  could  for  themselves —  Upon  this  the  meet- 
ing broke  up,  but  "it  was  generally  rumored  about,  that3  a  com- 
missioner4 was  sent  to  Lord  Rawdon  then  in  the  Waxaw,  so  it  was 
that  a  man  of  a  respectable  character  that  had  represented  the 
District  in  the  Gen1  Assembly  (did  go)  but  whether  employed  by 
the  officers  or  not.  the  author  cannot  say-  The  anxiety  of  the 
citizens  to  know  the  result  of  this  mission  was  great  &  they  met 
at  the  Iron  works,  at  which  place  the  person  from  Lord  Rawdon 
met  them  &  exhibited  his  commission  from  under  the  great  seal 
of  Lord  Rawdon  that  he  was  empowered  to  take  their  submis- 
sions &  give  paroles  &  protections  to  all  that  choose  to  become 

1Sainuel   Watson   and   William   Bratton. 
2Interlined  above  is  :  r<> 
"Interlined  above  is :   time  that 
•tThe  er  added  by  Gen.  Snmter. 


British  Subjects — he,  the  said  commissr.  took  his  stand  &  pro- 
ceeded to  read  a  proclamation  of  his  Lordships  that  begun  by 
asserting  that  Congress  has  given  up  the  two  Southern  states. 
&  would  not  contend  further  for  them  that  as  Gen1.  Washing- 
ton's army  was  reduced  to  a  small  number  of  men.  &  that  he, 
with  that  small  army  had  fled  to  the  mountains — Yr.  author  then 
stopped  the  commiss1".  from  reading  more  of  the  proclamation 
and  took  the  stand  himself,  &  addressed  the  citizens  in  the  fol- 
lowing language,  "that  he  was  happy  to  have  it  in  his  power 
to  inform  them  that  both  the  facts  stated  in  the  sd.  proclamation 
was  false  and  that  it  was  in  order  to  intimidate  &  deceive  the 
citizens,  so  far  from  being  a  fact  that  Congress  had  come  to  a 
resolution  not  to  give  up  any  of  the  States,  and  that  Gen1.  Wash- 
ington was  in  a  more  prosperous  wTay  than  he  had  been  in  for 
some  time,  that  he  had  actually  appointed  an  officer  with  a  con- 
siderable army,  and  was  then  on  their  march  to  the  relief  of  the 
Southern  States,  and  that  w^e  had  all  taken  an  oath  to  defend 
&  maintain  the  Independence  of  the  state  to  the  utmost  of  our 
power  and  that  if  we  could  not  raise  a  force  to  meet  the  foe,  we 
had  one  open  side,  we  cd.  keep  in  a  body,  go  into.  No.  Ca.  meet 
our  friends  &  return  with  them  to  recover  our  State —  After 
saying  this  and  much  more  not  necessary  to  relate,  there  was  a' 
visible  animation  in  the  countenances  of  the  citizens  and  their 
former  state  of  despondency  visibly  reversed,  and  the  poor  Corn- 
miss1",  was  obliged  to  disappear  with  his  proclamation  &  protec- 
tions for  fear  of  the  resentment  of  the  audience — 
And  here  your  Author  wishes  to  remark  that  he  by  no  means 
wishes  to  arogate  any  thing  to  himself  or  to  have  it  be  sup- 
posed that  he  had  or  possessed  more  public  virtue  or  firmness 
than  other  men  who  acted  differently.  And  after  these  things 
took  place  the  men  appeared  very  anxious  to  keep  in  a  body 
but  they  had  no  officers. — I  then  advised  them  to  Ballot  for  two 
Colonels  and  they  did  so  and  it  appeared  their  choice  fell  upon 
a  young  man  by  the  name  of  NeeF  and  your  Author  we  then 
proceeded  to  further  arrangements  and  that  was  for  the  men 
to  choose  all  other  of  their  officers  to  form  into  companies  &c- 
\ve  then  formed  a  camp  and  errected  the  American  Standard. 
And  as  soon  as  this  was  known  there  were  men  both  of  the 
states  of  Georgia  and  South  Carolina  adding  daily  to  our  num- 
bers that  we  soon  became  a  respectable  body  and  a  few  days  after 
'Andrew  Xeel. 


8 

these  things  happened  we  received  information  that  there  was 
a  tory  colonel  by  the  name  of  Floyd  in  the  western  part  of  the 
District  who  much  distressed  the  Inhabitants  and  was  collect- 
ing men  to  go  to  the  British  post  at  Rocky  Mount,  upon  this 
Col-  Neel  with  all  the  men  but  about  12  or  15-  that  was  left  to 
keep  the  camp  went  in  persuit  of  that  party  of  Tories  but  unfor- 
tunately before  he  got  to  their  settlement  they  had  marched  to 
Rocky  Mount. —  -  And  from  there  a  certain  captain  Hook1  with 
a  company  of  Horse  and  about  500  Tories  came  to  the  Iron 
works,2  destroyed  all  the  property  they  could  not  carry  away. 
Burned  the  forge  furnace,  grist  and  saw  mills  together  with 
all  other  buildings  even  to  the  negro  huts,  &  bore  away  about 
90  negroes  all  which  was  done  before  Col.  Xiel  returned  with 
the  army  to  camp —  About  this  time  I  was  informed  that  Col. 
Sumter  was  then  in  Salisbury  with  a  few  men  waiting  for  a 
reinforcement —  I  then  wrote  to  him,  informing  him  of  our  sit- 
uation &  that  there  was  a3  probability  of  our  making  a  handsome 
stand — and  that  we  were  about  to  form  a  junction  with  Gen1. 
Rutherfd.  in  N.  Car3,  that  we  were  going  to  attack  a  large  body 
of  Tories  that  had  collected  at  a  place  called  Ramsours  Mill- 
But  so  it  was  that  a  detatched  party  of  about  300  horse  from 
Gen1  Ruthd.  attacked  the  Tory  camp  said  to  be  upwards  of  a 
1000  men,  killed  &  dispersd.  the  whole — and  then  it  was  that 
Col.  Sumter  met  with  us  from  So.  Ca.  He  then  got  authority 
from  the  civil  &  military  authority  of  that  State  to  impress  or 
take  waggons  horses,  provisions  of  all  kinds,  from  the  enemy 
that  was  in  that  action — &  to  give  a  receipt  to  that  state  for  the 
same —  This  being  done  we  returned  to  So.  Ca.  &  formed  a  camp 
on  the  East  side  of4  Catawba  River  at  the  place  called  Clems 
branch — from  this  out  all  our  proceedings  of  importance  was 
done  by  a  convention  of  the  whole — a  commission  of  captains 
appointed  to  take  notice  of  all  the  property  taken  either  from 
the  enemy  or  friends.  &  a  commissioner  to  supply  us  with  pro- 
visions &c — 

After  we  had  been  some  time  at  this  camp  as  before  mentioned, 
in  order  to  prepare  for  actual  service  a  number  of  men  together 

Christian  Huck.  formerly  a  lawyer  of  Philadelphia.  As  a  regular  cap- 
tain he  ranked  a  militia  field  officer. 

"Hill's  Iron  Works,  the  property  of  Col.  William  Hill  (author  of  these 
Memoirs)  and  Isaac  Hayne. 

"Interlined  above  is :  likely 

*Inter!ined  above  is :  the 


9 

with  yr.  author,  being  desirous  to  go  into  their  own  settlements 
on  the  west  side  of  the  River,  in  order  to  get  a  reinforce  as  well 
as  other  necessaries  *to  enable  us  to  keep  the  field — shortly  after 
we  crossed  the  River  we  were  informed  by  our  friends,  that 
Capt.  Hook  the  same  that  had  a  few  weeks  before  destroyed 
the  Iron  works  had  sent  to  most  of  the  houses  in  the  settlement, 
to  notify  the  aged  men,  the  young  being  in  Camp,  to  meet  him 
at  a  certain  place,  that  he  desired  to  make  terms  with  them,  & 
that  he  Avould  put  them  in  the  King's  peace  accordingly  they 
met  him,  he  undertook  to  harrangue  them,  on  the  certainty  of 
his  majesty5,  reducing  all  the  Colonies,  to  obedience,  and  he 
far  exceeded  the  Assyrian  Genls  who2  we  read  of  in  ancient  writ 
in  blasphemy  by  saying  that  God  almighty  had  become  a  Rebel, 
but  if  there  were  20  Gods  on  that  side,  they  would  all  be  con- 
quered, was  his  expression —  Whilst  he  was  employed  in  this 
impious  blasphemy3  he  had  his  officers  &  men  taking  all  the 
horses  fit  for  his  purpose,  so  that  many  of  the  aged  men  had  to 
Avalk  many  miles  home  afoot —  This  ill  behaviour  of  the  enemy 
made  an  impression  on  the  minds  of  the  most  serious4  men  in 
this  little  band  and  raised  their  courage  under  the  belief  that 
the}7  would  be  made  instruments5  in  the  hand  of  Heaven  to 
punish  this  enemy  for  his  wickedness  and  blasphemy — and  no 
doubt  the  recent  injuries  that  many  of  their  families  received 
from  the  said  Hook  and  his  party  had6  an  effect  to  stimulate 
this  little  band  to  a  proper  courage —  The  number  of  the  Ameri- 
cans was  133.  and  many  of  them  without  arms  Capn.  Hook  had 
about  100  horse  &  Col.  Ferguson,  at  this  time  commander  of  the 
Tory  Militia,  had  about  300  men :  they  were  encampd.  in  a  Lane — 
a  strong  fence  on  each  side — the  Horse  picketed  in  the  inside  of  a 
field  next  to  the  lane,  with  their  furniture  on  the  officers  in  a 
mansion  house  in  the  field,  in  which  was  a  number  of  women, 
which  the  said  Hook  had  brought  there,  and  at  the  moment  the 
action  commenced,  he  was  then  flourishing  his  sword  over  the 
her.d  of  these  unfortunate  women.  &  threatening  them  with  death 
if  they  would  not  get  their  husbands  &  sons  to  come  in — and 

iThe  words  in  order  stricken  out  here. 

2The  word  who  stricken  out  and  that  interlined  above. 

The  word  blasphemy  changed  to  blasphemous  and  harangue  interlined 

above. 

Interlined  above  is :  of  the 

•"The  word  instruments  changed  to  instrumental 

6Interlined  above  is :  likewise 


10 

'marching  all  night,  we  made  the  attack  about  the  break  of 
day —  The  plan  was  to  attack  both  ends  of  the  Lane  at  the  same 
time,  but  unfortunately  the  party  sent  to  make  the  attack  on  the 
east  end  of  the  lane  met  with  some  embarrassments,  by  fences, 
brush,  briars  &c.  that  they  could2  not  get  to  the  end  of  the  lane 
until  the  firing  commenced  at  the  west  end— The  probability  is 
that  if  that  party3  had  made  good  their  march  in  time  very  few 
of  them  wd.  have  escaped —  However  Cap.  Hook  was  killed,  and 
also  Col.  Forguson  of  the  Tory  Militia-  Hook's  Lint1,  was 
wounded  &  died  afterwards;  considerable  number  of  privates 
the  number  not  known,  as  there  were  many  of  their  carcasses 
found  in  the  woods  some  days  after-  This  happened  about  the. 
10th..  of  July  1780  at  Williamsons  Plantation  in  Yk.  D1,,  and  it 
was  the  first  check  the  enemy  had  received  after  the  fall  of 
Charleston;  and  was  of  greater  consequence  to  the  American 
cause  than  can  be  well  supposed  from  an  affair  of  small  a  mag- 
nitude— as  it  had  the  tendency  to  inspire  the  Americans  with 
courage  &  fortitude  &  to  teach  them  that  the  enemy  was  not 
invincible — And  here  in  order  to  shew  the  present  generation, 
what  a  set  of  unprincepled  officers,  with  a  few  exceptions,  their 
fathers  had  to  deal  with-  Two  very  valuable  young  negroes, 
belonging  to  yr.  author  were  taken  by  the  wounded  Leu*,  already 
mentioned,  and  were  kept  to  wait  upon  him.  He  requested  of  me 
to  grant  him  a  guard  &  a  waggon  to  take  him  to  the  post  at  Rocky 
Mount —  Which  request  was  granted  to  him.  &  while  I  was  mak- 
ing arrangements  to  send  the  guard  the  two  negroes  disappeard. 
I  then  told  the  Liu1,  that  I  knew  that  they  were  gone  to  Rocky 
Mount.  &  that  I  sd.  should  expect  him  to  send  them  back  with  the 
guard,  he  appeared  to  be  very  warm  that  I  should  have  any 
doubt -of  his  doing  so,  and  said,  that  he  wTould  be  a  D— — n 
scoundrel  to  keep  my  property,  after  receiving  such  human  treat- 
ment from  me —  But  so  it  was,  it  turned  out  that  he  shewed  him- 
self to  be  the  person  he  mentioned;  for  the  Cap*,  of  the  guard, 
knew  the  negroes,  &  found  that  he  the  said  Liu1  had  them  again 
in  his  service,  and  when  he  was  ready  to  leave  the  place  applied 
to  him  for  the  negroes;  but  he  threatened  him  and  the  rest  of 

i  Inter  lined  above  is:  after 

-The  word  could  stricken  out  and  did  written  above 

3Interlined  above  is :  at  the  East  end 


11 


the  guard  with  confinement,  if  he  would  say  any  thing  about 
them,  &  it  was  with  a  great  difficulty  he  obtained  a  pass  to  return 
back  to  me-  These  two  negroes  have  never  been  recovered  by  me1 
by  any  other  for  me 


Shortly  after  this,  being  the  13th.  July  1780.  Gen1.  Sumter  made 
an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  reduce  the  British  post  at  Rocky  MX 
This  was  made  under  the  impression  that  the  Enemy  Avas  in  a 
large  framed  house :  the  walls  of  which  were  only  thin  clap 
boards,  and  we  supposed  that  our  balls  wd.  have  the  desired  effect 
by  shooting  through  the  wall,  but  so  it  was,  that  from  the  time 
we  recd.  this  information  until  the  time  the  attack  was  made  the 
Enemy  had  wrought  day  &  night  and  had  placed  small  logs 
about  a  foot  from  the  inside  of  the  wall  and  rammed  the  cavity 
Avith  clay,  and  under  this  delusion  Ave  made  the  attack — •;  but 
soon  found  that  Ave  cd.  injure  them  nOAvay,  but  by  shooting  in 
their  port-holes  And  here  the  bra\Te  Col.  Neil  was  killed  &  7 
privates;  upon  this  Ave  Avere  forced  to  retreat  behind  a  ledge  of 
Eocks  about  a  hundred  yds.  from  the  house —  Here  the  officers 
held  a  council  &  it  Avas  discoArered  that  there  Avas  a  large  rock, 
and  betAveen  this  rock  and  the  fort,  stood  a  small  house  which 
might  be  fired  by  throAving  fire  brands  over  the  rock,  &  that  this 
house  Avd.  communicate  the  fire  to  the  house  the  Enemy  Avas  in 
and  as  Ave  had  the  command  of  the  .Avater  they  could  not  possibly 
extinguish  the  flames —  From  this  ledge  of  Eocks  Avhere  the  army 
lay.  to  the  rock  near  the  house  Avas  about  100  yds.  free  of  any 
obstructions;  &  it  is  Avell  knoAvn  that  AvJien  any  object  is  going 
from  or  coming  to  a  marksman,  the  marksman  had  near  as  good 
a  chance  as  if  the  object  Avas  stationary  it  Avas  then  proposed  by 
the  Gen1.  &  other  officers  for  2  men  to  endeavor  to  fire  that  small 
house,  but  the  undertaking  appeared  so  hazardous,  that  no  tAvo 
men  of  the  army  could  be  found  to  undertake  it-  After  some 
considerable  time  Avas  spent,  yr.  author  proposed  that  if  any 
other  man  Avd  go  Avith  him  he  Avd:  make  the  attempt;  at  length 
a  young  man,  brother  to  the  Johnsons  noAv  living  in  Fairfield 
Dl.  proposed  to  undertake  Avith  me — and  Ave  had  every  assistance 
that  cd.  be  obtained —  Eich  lightwood  split  &  bound  with  cords 
to  cover  the  most  vital  parts  of  our  bodies,  as  well  as  a  largo 
bundle  of  the  same  AVOOC!  to  carry  in  our  arms,  being  thus  equiped 
interlined  after  me  is :  nor 


12 

\ve  run  the  100  yds.  to  the  rock;  Mr.  Johnson  was  to  manage  the 
fire  &  yr.  author  was  to  watch  the  enemys  sallying  out  of  the 
house  -  but  before  the  fire  was  sufficiently  kindled  the  enemy 
did  sally  out  with  fixed  bayonets;  the  same  race  was  run  again, 
to  where  the  army  lay.  &  under  a  heavy  fire,  not  only  from  those 
who  had  sallied  out,  but  like  wise  from  a  large  number  of  Port 
holes  in  that  end  of  the  house — It  was  then  proposed  that  the 
whole  of  our  rifle-men  shd.  direct  their  fire  to  that  space  between 
the  small  &  great  house,  which  was  about  15  ft.;  we  being  equipt 
as  before  mentioned,  made  the  2d.  attempt.  &  the  plan  already 
mentioned,  prevented  the  Enemy  from  sallying  a  2d.  time  We 
then  had  an  opportunity  of  making  a  large  fire  behind  the  rock, 
&  throwing  fire  brands  on  the  roof  of  the  little  house  &  we  staid 
until  that  roof  was  in  flames.  &  the  heat  of  it  had  caused  the  wall 
of  the  great  house  to  smoke —  We  then  concluded  the  work  was 
done,  &  undertook  the  4th.  race,  which  was  much  more  hazardous 
than  the  former  ones,  as  the  Enemy  during  the  interval,  had 
opened  a  great  many  more  port-holes  in  that  end  of  the  build- 
ing— And  here  I  beg  leave  to  remark  that  Providence  so  pro- 
tected us  both,  that  neither  of  us  lost  a  drop  of  blood,  altho'  locks 
of  hair  was  cut  from  our  heads  and  our  garments  riddled  wit'i 
halls — &  Scarcily  had  we  time  to  look  back  from  behind  the  rock 
where  our  men  lay,  in  hopes  to  see  the  fire  progressing,  but  to 
our  great  mortification,^  hen  the  great  house  was  beginning  to 
flame — as  heavy  a  storm  of  rain  fell,  as  hath  fallen  from  that 
time  to  the  present.  &  which  extinguished  the  flames —  We  were 
then  forced  to  retreat  under  as  great  mortification,  as  ever  ai.y 
number  of  men  endured 


About  the  21st..  of  July  1780.  Gen1.  Sumter  made  a  successful 
attack  on  the  British  post  at  the  Hanging  Rock  at  which  place 
were  about  500  Regulars  &  about  800  Tories  from  X.  Ca.  com- 
manded by  Col.  Brvan —  Gen1.  Sumter  had  about  600  So  Caro- 

i 
linians — "Gen1.  Sumter's  men  were  so  short  of  ammunition,  that 

when  they  began  this  attack  generally,  no  one  of  them  had  more 
than  5  bullets — In  the  latter  part  of  the  action  the  arms  &  ammu- 
nition, which  were  taken  from  the  British  &  Tories,  who  fell  in 
the  commencement  of  it.  were  turned  against  their  associates. 
In  this  attack  there  was  a  number  of  men  from  Mecklenburg 
County  in  Xo.  Ca.  commanded  by  Col.  Ervin:  the  number  not 
known :  &  likewise  about  80  horse  commanded  by  Col.  Davie — 

JThe  words  those  commanded  by  are  interlined  before  GenL  Sumter's 
men  and  the  possessive  and  men  are  stricken  out. 


13 

these  men  behaved  well,  and  are  entitled  to  equal  merit  with  the 
So.  Car.5.  This  action  commenced  under  many  very  unfavorable 
circumstances  to  the  Americans,  as  they  had  to  march  across 
a  water  course  &  climb  a  steep  cliff,  being  all  this  time  under  the 
enemy s  fire  &  could  not  injure  them  until  they  got  around  the 
side  of  their  camp — But  as  soon  as  they  got  to  their  ground  they 
instantly  drove -them  out  of  their  camp  &  pursued  them  a  con- 
siderable distance. —  In  the  mean  time  the  British  camp  being 
about  one  quarter  of  a  mile  from  this  Tory  camp,  advanced  firing 
in  platoons  before  the  one  half  of  the  Americans  cd.  be  brought 
off  from  the  pursuit  of  the  Tories;  these  few  took  to  trees  & 
rocks:  whilst  the  British  were  advancing  firing  in  platoons,  and 
they  fell  so  fast  by  their  unseen  enemy  that  their  officers  were 
obliged  to  push  them  forward  by  their  sabers-  The  loss  of  the 
British  in  the  action,  was  great  in  killed  &  wounded  -  The  Prince 
of  Wales'  Regiment  was  almost  anihilated  -  The  Tories  lost 
&  killed  was  considerable  The  Americans  had  about  40  killed, 
&  two  Captains  and  your  author  wounded 

[  Here  is  a  great  from 

j  the  battle  of  Camden  on  the  16th  of  Ang 
was  lost  by  G1  Gates,  &  the  battle 
of  Fishing  Creek  \vas  lost  by  G1.  Sumter1 
About  the  12th  Xovember  following  Major  Weymis  was  sent  by 
Earl  Cornwallis  to  surprise  Gen1.  Sumter  who  was  encamped 
near  Broad  River —  The  detatchment  by  Weymis  consisted  of 
dragoons  &  infantry,  the  whole  about  three  times  the  number 
that  were  with  Gen1.  Sumter —  The  attack  was  made  in  the  night 
when  most  of  the  men  were  asleep;  and  two  of  the  dragoons 
entered  the  Gen13.,  markey,  while  he  made  his  escape  out  of  the 
back  of  the  markey  &  got  under  the  bank  of  the  River —  The 
Americans  retreated  in  the  dark  to  a  commanding  ground, 
(within  Shot  of  their  fires)  where  the}7  waited  until  the  enemy 
collected  in  great  numbers  around  their  fires,  &  began  to  plunder, 
not  supposing  that  they  would  meet  with  any  interruption,  & 
while  they  were  in  this  position  around  the  fires,  the  Americans, 
having  the  advantage  of  the  light,  poured  on  them  such  a  fire 
that  they  killed  &  wounded  a  great  many — they  then  made  a 
very  rapid  retreat  &  were  pursued  by  the  Americans  some  dis- 

iThis  note  is  not  in  same  handwriting  as  the  narrative. 


14 

tance=Major  Weymis  wounded  &  taken  prisoner,  altho'  he  had 
in  his  pocket,  the  evidence  of  his  having  in  cold  blood  hanged 
several  of  the  Americans,  likewise  a  list  of  a  number  of  a  num- 
ber of  the  houses  he  had  burned  on  Black  River  notwithstanding 
this  he  was  well  treated  by  his  Conquerors 


On  the  20th-  of  the  same  month  a  battle  was  fought-  at  Black 
stocks  on  Tiger  River,  and  here  let  me  remark  that  there  was  no 
battle  fought  during  the  revolutionary  war  where  was  so  much 
disparity  between  the  two  different  combattants.  the  number  of 
Americans  did  not  exceed  600  and  many  of  that  number  very  in- 
differently armed.  Col  Tarlton  who  made  this  attack  on  Ger1 
Sumter  had  1200  horse  and  Infantry  together  with  a  field  piece. 
Tl'C  Americans  were  encamped  on  the  bank  of  Tiger  River.  There 
were  a  number  of  houses  between  the  River  and  a  large  open 
field  from  the  American  Camp,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  there 
was  a  very  large  and  strong  fence  not  made  with  common  rails 
but  with  small  trees  notched  one  on  the  other.  On  the  west 
side  of  this  Lane  was  a  thick  wood  and  at  the  mouth  of  this 
Lane  was  placed  a  strong  Picket.  The  Americans  having  been 
pursued  for  2  days  and  nights  took  this  ground  under  the  firm 
determination  to  defend  it  &  not  to  retreat  further  —  The  action 
commenced  by  an  attack  on  our  Picket  at  the  end  of  the  Lane, 
they  having  the  advantage  of  this  strong  fence  above  men- 
tioned. they  kept  the  Cavalry  from  entering  the  Lane  the  num- 
ber in  the  houses  mentioned  joining  the  clear  field  kept  the 
Infantry  from  advancing  and  those  men  from  the  houses  were 
still  dropping  some  of  them  though  at  the  distance  of  200 
yards.  The  enemy  being  thus  kept  back  gave  time  for  as  many 
men  who  had  horses  and  accoutrements  fit  for  action  to  ad- 
vance to  the  West  side  of  the  Lane  through  the  thick  wood 
these  men  were  headed  by  Col.  Lacy,  he  very  judiciously  ad- 
vanced within  fire  of  them  undiscovered,  as  they  were  then 
on  horse  back  near  the  end  of  the  Lane,  he  then  gave  them  a 
fire  so  well  directed  that  upwards  of  20  of  them  fell  from  their 
horses  as  well  as  a  number  of  their  horses  killed,  the 
woods  being  so  thick  that  the  regular  horse  dare  not 
penetrate  it-  and  a  number  of  the  men  dismounted  oc- 
casionaly  crept  up  so  as  to  kill  many  of  them  in  their  ranks- 
thc  action  commenced  at  one  oclock  and  neither  horse  nor  foot 


15 

advanced  to  our  camp  between  the  Lane  &  the  River  until  the 
going  down  of  the  Sun  their  horse  then  advanced  in  the  Lane 
to  attack  our  body  of  reserve  that  stood  between  the  Lane  & 
the  River  where  the  charge  was  made  by  their  horse  The 
Americans  having  the  advantage  of  the  before  mentioned  fence 
together  with  the  thick  wood  just  by  the  fence  that  before  they 
got  through  the  Lane  their  front  both  men  &  horse  fell  so  fast 
that  the  way  was  nearly  stopt  up  -  a  retreat  was  then  ordered 
which  was  a  pleasing  sight  for  the  Americans  to  behold  -  so 
many  falling  either  by  wounds  or  stumbling  over  the  dead 
horses  or  men.  They  were  pursued  by  the  Americans  with  loud 
shouts  of  victory  -  at  the  time  this  happened  to  the  horse  the 
Infantry  advanced  to  the  houses  before  mentioned  and  there 
they  received  such  a  heavy  fire  from  those  in  the  houses  as 
well  as  from  a  number  of  the  reserve  that  had  got  round  to 
that  quarter  they  then  made  their  retreat  in  as  great  confusion 
as  the  horse-  and  wrere  pursued  a  considerable  way  and  many 
of  them  suffered  in  their  retreat. 

The  British  had  three  officers  killed  (viz)  Majr-Money-Lieut"- 
Gibson  &  Cope  their  loss  of  privates  very  considerable  the  num- 
ber not  exactly  known  but  supposed  not  short  of  100 —  The 
Americans  had  but  t\vo  killed  GeneraKSumter  severely  wounded 
which  for  several  months  interrupted  his  gallant  Interprise  in 
behalf  of  the  State,  his  zeal  and  activity  in  animating  the 
american  Militia  when  they  were  discouraged  by  repeated  de- 
feats and  the  bravery  &  good  conduct  he  displayed  in  sundry 
attacks  on  the  British  Detachments  procured  him  the  applause 
of  his  countrymen  &  the  thanks  of  congress —  -  And  here  I 
must  break  through  the  order  of  time  by  relating  some  circum- 
stances that  happened  some  months  before  the  battle  at  Kings 
Mountain  by  which  the  reader  will  see  the  reason  why  GenLSum- 
ter  was  not  at  that  action  &  likewise  the  reason  why  the  chief 
command  devolved  on  another —  He  will  likewise  see  that  the 
Historians  who  have  heretofore  written  on  that  brilliant  action 
have  been  very  badly  informed.  In  there  omitting  the  names 
of  the  Officers  that  deserved  the  greatest  merit .  &  was  instru- 
mental by  the  aid  of  Providence  to  bring  about  that  memorable 
event.  &  likewise  giving  merit  to  those  that  had  laid  a  wyicked 
&  treacherous  plan  to  prevent  it,  which  they  had  nearly  accom- 
plished A  short  time  after  Gen^Sumter  had  formed  his  camp 
in  South  Carolina  as  before  mentioned,  a  Colonel  Williams  of 


16 

ninety  six  District  with  a  few  of  his  friends,  or  neighbours 
had  been  Northwardly  securing  some  of  the  most  valuable  prop- 
erty—  came  to  camp  &  being  better  acquainted  with  your  Author 
than  any  other  officer,  he  informed  me  that  as  he  had  no  men  he 
could  not  expect  any  command,  but  that  he  wished  to  do  some- 
thing to  serve  his  country —  I  Informed  him  that  a  person  was 
wanted  to  act  as  commisary  to  supply  the  army  with  provisions- 
Upon  this  I  informed  Gen1  Sumter —  a  convention  wras  imme- 
diately called  &  a  commission  made  out  &  given  to  the  said 
Williams  to  act  as  commisary  to  supply1  the  Army —  And  under 
his  command  was  put  a  Majr-Miles  with  25  men  &  Horses — to- 
gether with  4  wagons  &  teams,  he  continued  to  act  in  this  ca- 
pacity for  some  time  &  until  after  the  battle  at  the  hanging  rock 
when  our  camp  was  at  a  place  called  Cane  Creek,  and  on  a 
certain  morning  it  was  discovered  that  our  commisary1  &  a  col 
Brannon2  had  eloped  &  had  taken  a  great  number  of  the  public 
horses  a  considerable  quantity  of  provisions  with  the  camp 
equipage  &  a  number  of  men —  Upon  this  Gen1.  Sumter  sent  Col 
Lacy  with  a  small  guard  after  them  with  a  view  at  least  to  re- 
cover the  public  property — he  overtook  them  encamped  on  the 
west  side  of  the  Cattawba  River  &  finding  their  number  too 
great  for  him  to  do  any  thing  by  coercive  measures  he  then  got 
the  said  Williams  to  walk  with  him  out  of  the  camp,  he  then 
presented  a  pistol  to  his  breast  &  informed  him  that  if  he  made 
any  noise  to  call  for  assistance  he  was  then  a  dead  man.  &  after 
expoSturating  with  him  on  the  baseness  of  his  conduct  he 
the  said  Williams  gave  his  word  of  honor  that  he  would  take 
back  all  the  public  property  &  as  many  of  the  men  as  he  could 
persuade  to  go  back —  Upon  this  Col  Lacy  not  confiding  in  his 
word  exacted  an  oath  to  the  same  purpose 

But  so  it  was  that  neither  the  one  or  the  other  had  the  desired 
effect,  as  he  took  the  public  property  &  the  men  to  a  place  called 
the  Cherokee  ford  where  there  were  a  number  of  Xorth  Caro- 
linians encamped  commanded  by  Maj  McDowel —  Shortly  after 
they  wrere  joined  by  Col  Clark  &  Col  Shellby — this  army  made 
an  attack  on  a  British  post  at  Muskgrove's  mill  South  Carolina 
this  post  was  reduced  &  a  number  of  British  prisoners  taken. 
Shortly  after  this  news  of  Gen^Gates'  defeat  near  Camden 
induced  Col  Clark  &  Col  Shelbv  to  retreat  to  the  Mountains 


Striken  out  is :  &  a.  Interlined  above  is :  together  with 
2Thomas  Brandon. 


17 

leaving  the  prisoners  in  the  hands  of  the  said  Williams  to  take 
on  to  Hillsborough  which  he  did,  who  arrogated  the  whole 
honour  to  himself  of  commanding  the  action  in  which  they 
were  captured  Gen]-Gates  after  his  defeat  being  at  Hillsborough 
collecting  his  men.  Governor  Eutledge  of  South  Carolina  also 
w7as  there  on  his  return  from  Congress  soliciting  aid  in  behalf 
of  the  Southern  States — Upon  his  showing  his  prisoners  to  the 
Governor  &  deceiving  him  by  taking  the  whole  merit  to  him- 
self as  before  mentioned  and  likewise  the  governor  not  knowing 
that  Gen'-Sumter  had  the  command  of  all  the  South  Carolin- 
ians then  in  arms  in  defence  of  their  country  under  this  de- 
lution  he  gave  the  said  Williams  a  GeneraFs  Commission,  he  had 
the  assurance  to  march  into  Sumter's  Camp  which  was  then  on 
the  Indian  Land  on  the  East  side  of  the  Catawba  River,  he  had  his 
commission  publicly  read  &  required  all  the  officers  &  men  to 
fall  under  his  immediate  command,  but  much  to  his  well  deserved 
mortification  they  all  to  a  man  knowing  his  recent  conduct 
in  deserting  his  post  &  embezzeling  the  public  property  as  be- 
fore mentioned  refused  to  have  any  thing  to  do  with  him  or  his 
commission  &  if  he  had  not  immediately  left  the  camp*  he  would 
have  been  stoned  out  of  it —  he  then  went  up  to  the  settlement 
in  North  Carolina  on  the  Yadkin  River  where  he  engaged 
about  70  men-such  as  did  not  choose  to  do  duty  under  their  own 
officers  by  promising  them  that  if  they  would  go  with  him 
to  South  Carolina  they  could  get  as  many  negroes  &  horses  as 
they  chose  to  take  from  the  Tories —  -  This  happened  a  short 
time  before  Earl  Cornwallis  took  post  at  Charlotte  North  Caro- 
lina &  that  he  the  said  Cornwallis  detached  Rawdon  &  Tarltori 
with  a  number  of  horse  &  foot  to  five  times  the  number  that 
Gen'-Sumter  had  then  in  camp  in  order  to  surprise  him  but 
fortunately  he  got  news  of  their  intentions  &  crossed  the  River 
to  the  west  side  at  Bigers'  (now  called  Masons  ferry)  &  there 
encamped.  Your  author  then  as  chairman  of  the  Convention 
.called  it  together  in  order  to  deliberate  on  some  plan  respect- 
ing Gen^Sumter's  commission  as  it  was  protested  by  Williams, 
but  before  any  progress  was  made  in  the  business  the  firing 
commenced  across  the  River  between  our  guard  &  Rawdon's 
men  this  soon  broke  up  the  convention  &  the  army  marched  up 
the  River  &  encamped  that  night  in  an  uncommon  thick  wood, 
where  we  supposed  we  were  safe  from  the  horse  of  the  enemy. 
In  this  place  the  convention  again  was  called  &  five  men 


18 

chosen  to  go  to  governor  Rutledge  whose  names  were  Gen1- 
Richard  Winn,1  Col  Henry  Hampton,  Col  Thomas,  and  Col  Mid- 
dleton,2  was  four  of  those  chosen  the  other  name  not  recollected, 
these  commissioners  was  to  go  to  Hillsborough  to  the  governor 
and  Gen1-  Sumter  was  not  to  make  his  appearance  until  the  busi- 
ness was  decided-  the  command  of  the  troops  then  devolved  on 
Col  Lacy  &  your  Author —  We  then  marched  up  the  River 
&  crossed  it  at  the  Tuckasegee  ford  our  Intention  being  to  form 
a  junction  with  Gen1-  Davidson  the  same  that  was  killed  when 
the  British  crossed  the  River  at  Cowens  ford  after  sending  an 
express  to  the  said  Davidson  of  our  intentions  he  informed  us 
that  there  was  a  considerable  number  of  men  from  the  west  as 
Avell  as  from  the  East  side  of  the  mountain — Marching  with  an 
intention  to  fight  col  Ferguson  &  upon  receiving  this  infor- 
mation we  again  crossed  the  River  at  Baty's  ford,  the  evening 
after  crossing  the  River.  Williams  &  Brannon  with  their  men 
engaged  in  the  manner  already  mentioned  came  into  our  camp 
&  AVilliams  with  an  air  of  authority  read  his  commission  & 
required  us  to  submit  to  his  authority,  your  Author  then  informed 
him  that 'there  was  not  an  officer  or  man  in  the  whole  army 
that  would  submit  to  his  command  as  his  recent  conduct  was 
such  that  no  officer  or  sett  of  men  would  submit  to  such  an  officer 
&  that  we  had  sent  commissioners  to  governor  Rutledge  that 
would  soon  return  with  full  proof  of  the  baseness  of  his  conduct — 
upon  this  for  fear  of  being  worse  treated  by  our  men  he  thought 
fit  to  make  good  his  retreat  &  formed  his  camp  at  a  distance 
from  ours —  the  night  following  I  had  a  conversation  \vith  Col 
Lacy  stating  that  there  was  a  probability  of  our  having  to  fight 
a  superior  force  in  a  short  time-  though  notAvithstanding  Wil- 
liams' number  was  but  small  we  would  endeavour  to  bring  them 
in  to  an  action  as  it  was  probable  by  this  measure  that  some  of 
them  would  meet  a  fate  they  so  well  merited-  Col  Lacy  approving 
my  sentiments  if  any  way  could  be  devised  without  paying 
respect  to  Williams'  commission.  I  then  proposed  as  Cols  Grimes 
&  Hamright  had  that  day  joined  us  with  a  small  party  of  Xorth 
Carolinians,  we  would  suppose  the  army  to  be  in  three  divisions, 
the  Xorth  Carolinians  one,  AVilliams'  &  Brannon's  men  one,  & 
the  South  Carolinians  the  third  &  that  we  would  choose  a 


was   Col.   Richard   Winn.     He  did  not   become   brigadier  general 
until   November  21,    1783,   succeeding  Gen.   Henderson. 
2Col.  Charles  Starker  Myddelton. 


19 

Majr-Gen!-  over  the  whole  &.that  all  orders  should  be  assigned 
by  all  the  Officers  the  following  morning  those  propositions  were 
offered  to  Williams  but  he  spurned  them  &  intimated  that  by 
virtue  of  his  commission  he  would  command  the  whole-  upon 
this  he  was  told  to  absent  himself  &  not  attempt  to  march  with 
us  or  the  North  Carolinians,  as  the  consequences  would  be  serious, 
he  then  agreed  to  the  proposition,  accordingly  we  elected  the 
officer  that  was  to  act  as  before  mentioned,  that  day  our  spies 
came  in  &  informed  us  that  the  mountain  men  were  marching  in  a 
valley  between  a  large  &  smaller  Mountain-  The  next  day  in 
the  morning  an  old  gentleman  well  known  to  many  oi  us  to  be 
a  man  of  veracity  gave  us  the  following  information-  that  he 
hud  been  some  days  with  Col  Ferguson  &  that  he  had  the  address 
to  make  him  believe  that  he  was  a  great  friend  to  the  Royal 
cause  that  Ferguson  the  evening  before  had  sent  an  express  to 
Cornwallis  then  camped  in  Charlotte  Noth-  Cana-  that  he  had 
pitched  his  camp  on  the  top  of  a  mountain  &  that  he  was  so  Avell 
pleased  with  the  goodness  of  his  position  as  well  as  the  courage  & 
skill  of  his  men,  that  he  had  been  training  for  some  time  with  great 
success  &  that  he  defied  God  Almighty  &  all  the  rebels  that 
could  be  collected  to  drive  him  from  that  camp-  However  as  he 
had  nearly  compleated  the  business  of  collecting  &  training  all 
the  friends  to  the  Royal  government  that  could  be  collected 
in  that  part  of  the  country,  &  that  he  could  then  add 
to  the  Royal  army  upwards  of  1000  men  but  as  he 
had  to  march  upwards  of  40  miles  through  a  D-rebel  settlement 
though  he  was  not  afraid  of  any  serious  loss  happening  in  his 
forming  the  junction  with  his  Lordship-  but  as  the  Rebels  were 
such  Dam — d  cowardly  rascals  that  they  would  ambuscade  him 
&  he  would  not  have  it  in  his  power  t'o  retaliate  for  those  reasons 
he  requested  his  Lordship  to  send  Tarlton  with  his  horse  &  In- 
fantry to  escort  him  to  his  Lordship-  But  strange  to  relate,  that 
the  very  same  day  on  the  morning  of  which  we  had  this  infor- 
mation your  author  missed  Williams  &  Brannon  out  of  the  line 
of  march  &  being  informed  that  they  had  taken  a  pathway  that 
led  to  the  mountain-  Nothing  more  was  heard  of  them  until 
evening  after  sunset-  your  Author  being  on  the  water  we  then 
discovered  them  coming  to  the  camp-  he  then  enquired  of  them 
which  way  they  had  been  as  they  had  not  been  with  the  army 
the  greater  part  of  the  day-  They  appeared  unwilling  to  give  the 


20 

Information  I  desired  however  upon  insisting  further  Williams 
replied  that  they  had  been  with  the  mountain  men  &  that  they 
were  a  set  of  fine  men  &  well  armed,  upon  being  questioned  where 
we  were  to  form  a  junction  with  them,  the  answer  was  at  Lawsons 
fork  at  the  old  Iron  \vorks,  I  then  remarked  that  would  be  march- 
ing directly  from  Ferguson  &  that  undoubtedly  the  design  of  these 
men  was  to  fight  Ferguson,  that  he  had  sent  to  Cornwallis  at 
Charlotte  for  Tarleton  with  his  horse  and  infantry  and  that  this 
reinforcement  might  be  expected  in  a  day  or  two  which  would 
enable  him  to  form  a  junction  writh  the  grand  Army  and  that 
if  this  battle  was  not  fought  before  the  reinforcement  came  the 
certain  probability  was  that  it  never  would  be  fought-  and  that 
he  was  now  in  So  Ca.  &  had  been  a  bitter  &  cruel  enemy,  that  it 
appeared  as  if  Heaven  had  sent  those  men  from  the  mountains 
to  punish  so  great  &  cruel  Enemy;  &  he  the  said  Williams,  ap- 
peared by  these  remarks  to  be  for  some  moments  embarrassed, 
but  Avhen  he  came  to  his  speech,  he  acknowledged,  that  He  had 
made  use  of  deception  to  get  them  to  go  to  Ninety  Six-  I  inquired 
of  him  if  they  had  any  cannon  with  them-  his  answer  was  in 
the  negative.  &  added  that  such  men  with  their  Rifles  would 
soon  reduce  that  Post-  I  then  used  the  freedom  to  tell  him  that 
I  plainly  saw  his  design  was  to  get  that  Army  in  his  own  settle- 
ment as  well  as  to  get  some  of  his  property  (and  plunder  the 
Toriers)  from  thence.  In  the  course  of  the  conversation  he  said 
with  a  considerable  degree  of  warmth,  that  the  No.  Cans.  might 
fight  Ferguson  or  let  it  alone,  &  that  our  business  was  to  fight 
for  our  own  country-  I  then  informed  him  that  notwithstanding 
he  had  used  such  unwarrantable  means  to  avoid  an  action  that 
I  hoped  under  Providence  that  I  would  prevent  his  design-  I 
then  left  him  &  informed  Col.  Lacey  what  Williams  had  done, 
that  to  use  the  huntsman's  phrase  he  had  put  our  friends  on  the 
wrong  scent,  &  that  if  they  did  not  get  better  information  before 
the  next  day.  that  Forguson  would  undoubtedly  escape-  As  I  was 
unable  to  ride  without  my  arm  in  a  sling,  being  not  recovered 
from  the  wound  I  recd.  at  the  Hanging  Rock,  I  immediately 
procured  a  pilot,  gave  him  my  own  horse  he  being  better  to 
travel  in  the  night  than  his,  he  started  with  this  pilot  about 
8  o'clock-  &  in  crossing  the  spur  of  the  mountain  they  lost  the 
path,  and  he  Col.  Lacey  was  so  suspicious  that  he  was  taking 
him  to  the  enemy,  which  was  so  very  strong  that  he  cocked  his 


21 

gun  twice  to  kill  him;  but  Providence  prevented  it.  They  then 
found  their  way  &  got  to  the  camp  of  the  mountain  men  before 
day-  he  Lacy  then  enquired  of  the  officers  if  two  men  the  day 
preceeding  from  So.  Ca-  had  not  visited  them-  they  answered 
him  in  the  affirmative-  &  further  said  that  they  had  informed 
them  that  Forgusn  had  gone  to  96,  &  that  they  the  mountaineers 
were  to  form  a  junction  with  the  So.  Cas.  at.  Lawsons  fork,  at  the 
old  iron  works,  the  evening  following-  Co1.  Lacey  then  gave 
our  friends  information  that  Forguson  was  encamped  on  Kings 
Mn.  &  that  he  had  sent  to  Earl  Cornwallis  for  the  reinforcement 
as  already  mentioned,  &  he  Col  Lacy  with  the  Officers  of  the 
mountain  men  agreed  to  march  to  a  place  called  the  Cowpens 
where  the  So-  Carolinians  were  to  form  a  junction  with  them — 
And  here  let  me  remark  that  when  the  officers  found  themselves 
thus  deceived  by  Williams  in  the  manner  already  mentioned 
they  expressed  the  Highest  degree  of  Indignation,  as  they  had 
come  so  far  with  an  intention  to  fight  Ferguson  &  that  they 
were  so  near  being  prevented  of  their  intention  by  this  supposed 
friend —  The  next  morning  before  Col  Lacy  returned  to  Camp 
there  Avas  a  likelyhood  of  there  being  a  mutiny  in  the  army  for 
Col  Williams  went  the  rounds  &  ordered  the  Officers  &  men  to 
march  his  way.  Your  author  went  the  same  rounds  &  informed 
those  Officers  &  men  of  his  wicked  designs  &  requested  them  to 
wait  Col  Lacy'  return  as  until  then  we  did  not  know  where  'we 
were  to  form  a  junction  with  our  friends.  In  this  state  of  busi- 
ness my  Officers  &  men  appeared  determined  to  bide  by  my 
advice  &  directions,  &  thus  began  to  threaten  the  others,  &  I  at 
this  stage  of  the  business  had  the  presence  of  mind  to  parade 
the  army  in  such  a  position  as  more  fully  to  inform  them  of  the 
base  &  injudicious  design  of  Williams,  &  that  it  was  very  im- 
politic to  march  into  So-  Carolina  leaving  the  enemy  behind, 
&  load  themselves  with  plunder,  &  that  Ferguson  without  doubt 
was  a  man  of  military  talents  &  that  he  would  embrace  such  a 
favorable  opportunity  to  attack  them  on  their  return,  &  that  the 
greatest  part  of  the  Tories  with  him  were  well  acquainted  with 
every  gap  of  the  mountain,  every  ford  of  the  rivers  or  creeks, 
&  many  of  them  would  lose  their  lives  or  plunder.  After  men- 
tioning these  things  &  much  more  to  work  on  their  patriotism 
or  fears  I  made  the  following  proclamation — 
All  of  you  that  love  your  Country  &  wish  to  fight  for  your 
country,  your  friends  &  posterity,  &  not  to  plunder  your  country 


in  a  day  of  distress,  you  will  parade  to  the  right;  And  all  you 
that  are  of  a  different  disposition  &  intend  to  plunder-not  to  fight 
you  will  parade  to  the  left —  I  am  happy  to  say  that  to  my 
great  surprise  the  greatest  part  of  the  army  paraded  to  tl^ 
right-  leaving  but  a  very  small  number  to  the  left —  Upon  this 
I  ordered  them  to  repair  to  their  camp  &  make  preparations 
for  a  march,  which  would  commence  as  soon  as  Col  Lacey  re- 
turned which  he  did  about  10  oclock  &  informed  us  that  we 
were  to  march  to  a  place  called  the  Cowpens;  where  we  were 
to  form  a  junction  with  these  mountaineers,  when  we  took  the 
line  of  march  &  placed  our  front  &  reax  guards  we  dis- 
covered that  Col  Williams  having  so  few  men  that  adhered  to 
him,  that  he  thought  it  rather  hazardous  to  March  by  himself 
but  hung  in  our  rear,  he  was  thus  obliged  to  keep  at  such  a  dis- 
tance as  required  by  our  rear  guard,  who  held  him  &  his  men 
in  such  unfavorable  light  that  they  were  throwing  stones  & 
otherwise  offronting  them  the  whole  day-  We  arrived  at  the 
Cowpens  at  about  sun  sett  &  in  a  few  moments  our  friends  ar- 
rived also-  The  Officers  of  each  army  then  convened  together, 
the  proceedings  that  took  place  wTas  to  give  Col  Campbell  a 
nominal  command  over  the  whole  this  was  done  in  courtesy  as 
he  &  his  men  had  come  the  greatest  distance  &  from  over  the 
mountains.  It  also  being  known  that  Col  Tarlton  with  his  rein- 
forcement would  in  at  least  2  days,  join  Col  Ferguson.  This 
induced  the  Officers  to  select  933  men  &  mounted  them  on  their 
fleetest  horses,  leaving  about  an  equal  number  of  foot  &  horse 
in  the  camp,  they  began  their  march  about  9  o'clock  but  it 
proved  a  very  dark  &  raining  night  the  path  being  small  &  the 
wroods  very  thick,  the  troop  got  scattered  &  dispersed  through 
the  woods  thus  wondering  the  whole  night,  that  when  morning 
appeared  the  rear  of  them  was  but  5  miles  from  the  Cowpens, 
this  caused  them  to  march  uncommonly  hard  which  caused  many 
of  the  horses  to  give  out  as  but  few  of  them  were  shod,  a  small 
halt  was  made  near  the  mountain  in  which  the  Officers  planned 
the  manner  of  attack —  The  officers  that  conducted  this  entreprise 
was  Cols-  Campbell,  Cleveland,  Shelby,  Lacy,  Hamrite,  &  Haw- 
thorne, he  being  my  Lieutenant,  myself  being  with  the  rear 
guard  &  not  being  well  of  my  wounds  as  before  mentioned;  there 
was  very  little  military  subordination  as  all  that  was  required 
or  expected  was  that  every  Officer  &  man  should  ascend  the 
mountain  so  as  to  surround  the  enemy  on  all  quarters  which 


23 

was  promptly  executed,  this  being  the  7th-  day  of  October  1780 
commencing  at  one  Oclock —  And  here  let  me  remark  that  not- 
withstanding Col  Ferguson  was  a  brave  military  character  it 
appeared  that  he  was  infatuated  &  brought  to  his  own  ruin  by 
chosing  this  spot  of  ground  on  which  he  had  to  fight  under 
every  disadvantage  as  it  will  appear  from  the  following  re- 
lation.—  (viz)  there  being  a  small  flat  of  ground  where  he  had 
pitched  his  camp  on,  the  sides  of  the  mountain  being  very  Rocky 
&  steep  as  well  as  a  great  number  of  fallen  &  standing  trees 
so  that  the  Americans  could  attack  his  camp  on  all  quarters, 
&  their  shot  went  over  the  americans  without  effect,  his  in- 
fatuation would  more  fully  appear  when  it  is  known  that  he 
trusted  much  to  the  bayonet,  as  a  proof  of  this  he  had  trained 
his  men  to  that  purpose  &  those  which  he  could  not  furnish  with 
this  weapon  he  had  contrived  a  substitute  by  getting  the  Black- 
smiths to  make  long  knives  to  answer  this  purpose  with  a  tang 
put  in  a  piece  of  wood  to  fit  the  calibre  of  the  gun  &  a  button 
to  rest  on  the  muzzle  of  the  piece,  In  the  commencement  of  the 
action  he  ordered  a  charge  on  the  Americans,  but  the  ground  was 
so  rough  as  before  mentioned  that  they  were  not  able  to  over- 
take the  americans  to  injure  them,  in  this  way,  &  when  they 
had  went  a  certain  distance  they  had  orders  to  retreat  to  their 
camp.  &  then  it  was  that  the  americans  had  every  advantage 
required.  In  this  manner  four  different  charges  was  made  & 
with  the  same  success-  By  this  time  the  Americans  were  within 
shot  of  the  whole  of  their  camp  chiefly  under  cover  of  rocks 
&  trees  Col  Ferguson  being  killed  the  second  in  command  sued 
for  peace,  about  this  time  Col  Williams  with  his  small  party 
came  up  the  side  of  the  mountain,  at  which  time  a  number  of 
white  handkerchiefs  were  seen  holding  up  in  the  camp  &  yet  a 
number  of  men  not  knowing  the  intention  of  this  signal  con- 
tinued their  fire  &  it  was  some  time  before  the  officers  could  get 
them  to  cease  firing-  At  this  moment  this  Col  Williams  was 
killed  It  is  generally  supposed  &  believed  that  it  was  done  by 
some  of  the  Americans,  as  many  of  them  had  been  heard  to 
promise  on  oath  that  they  would  do  it  when  they  had  an  oppor- 
tunity which  promises  were  made  at  the  time  the  dispute  took 
place  before  mentioned,  so  that  the  Historians  that  have  hitherto 
written  of  these  transactions  must  have  had  very  incorrect  in- 
formation- as  it  is  a  fact  that  after  the  attempt  to  deceive 


24 

Col  Campbell  &  the  other  Officers  he  dare  not  appear  before  them 
neither  at  the  council  of  Officers  at  the  Cowpens  nor  at  the  other 
near  the  mountain.  In  this  action  the  americans  had  but  few 
killed  or  wounded  the  number  not  exactly  ascertained —  Though 
generally  believed  the  few  that  were  killed  &  wounded  was  by 
the  Americans  after  they  had  enclosed  the  camp  by  firing  across. 
The  loss  of  the  enemy  in  killed  &  taken  was  about  1200,  about 
100  of  those  was  regulars.  9  of  those  who  surrendered  we.re 
hanged  by  their  conquerors  they  were  provoked  to  this  by 
severity  of  the  British  who  had  lately  hanged  a  great  number 
of  americans  at  Camden,  Ninety  six,  Augusta  &  & —  But  a 
much  better  reason  that  each  individual  of  them  was  guilty 
of  crimes  for  which  their  lives  were  forfeited  by  the  Laws  of 
the  State  &  one  in  particular  had  taken  a  number  of  Indians 
to  a  small  fort  on  the  frontiers  &  murdered  a  number  of  women 
&  children  the  men  being  absent  from  the  fort. — 
There  was  an  action  fought  at  Muskgroves  Mill  Enoree  river 
on  the  19th-  of  August  1780.  which  it  appears  that  none  of  the 
Historians  which  have  written  on  the  revolution  of  the  Southern 
States  have  noticed-  It  was  fought  by  a  number  of  brave  Officers 
&  men  who  had  volunteered  their,  services,  I  think  it  proper  that 
posterity  should  knowT  something  of  it-  I  do  not  give  the  infor- 
mation of  my  own  knowledge  but  give  it  from  an  Officer  of 
high  standing  who  was  present  at  the  action-  Gen1-  McDowell 
continued  to  mancever  on  the  North  side  of  Broad  river,  not 
being  in  force  to  attempt  an  action  with  Ferguson  until  the  18th- 
of  August  1780  at  which  time  he  received  information  that  500 
Tories  were  encamped  at  Muskgroves  mill  on  the  bank  of 
Enoree  river-  Col  Shelby  &  Lieut  Col-  Clarke  were  selected 
by  Gen1-  McDowell  to  head  the  detachment  destined  to  cut  up 
that  party  of  Tories-  McDowell's  camp  was  then  at  smiths  ford 
on  Broad  river  40  miles  or  upwards  from  the  Tories  Encamped 
at  Muskgroves-  Majr.  Ferguson  lay  about  half  way  with  all  his 
force  and  and  only  two  or  three  miles  from  the  route  our  party 
had  to  travel.  They  commenced  their  march  from  Smiths  ford 
at  sun  about  one  hour  high  in  the  evening  of  the  18th  of  Aug*. 
1780  with  700  picked  men  well  mounted,  among  whom  were  sev- 
eral of  the  field  officers  of  Mc.Dowal's  army  who  had  volunteered 
their  services.  &  they  were  joined  by  Col.  Williams  with  a  few 
of  his  followers  the  whole  army  amounting  to  between  700  & 


800  men.  They  travelled  through  the  woods  until  nearly  dark 
i  hen  took  the  road,  &  traveled  fast  all  the  night,  a  great  part 
of  the  way  in  a  canter,  never  stopped  even  to  let  their  horses 
drink.  &  arrived  within  1/2  mile  °f  the  enemy  camp  just  at  break 
of  day,  when  they  were  met  by  a  strong  patrole  party  of  the 
enemy  coming  out  to  reconnoitre-  A  sharp  fire  commenced  in 
which  several  of  the  enemy  fell1-  and  they  gave  back  to  their 
camp  at  this  juncture,  a  countryman  who  lived  in  sight  came 
up  &  informed  Col  Shelby  that  the  enemy  had  been  strongly 
reinforced  the  evening  before  with  600  regulars  from  96  &  the 
Queen's  American  Reg'-  from  N.  York2-  commanded  by  Col. 
Innis.  The  Americans  after  a  hard  travel  all  night  of  40  miles, 
or  upwards  were  too  much  broke  down  to  retreat-  they  prepared 
for  action  as  fast  as  possible  by  making  a  breast  work  of  logs 
and  brush,  which  they  completed  in  half  an  hour,  when  the 
enemys  whole  force  appeared  in  full  view,  their  lines  lay  across 
the  road  upwards  of  half  a  mile  in  length-  a  small  party  had 
been  sent  under  Cap*.  Shadrack  Inmah  to  scrimage  with  the 
enemy,  as  soon  as  they  crossed  the  River,  for  their  camp  was  on 
the  south  side  of  Muskgrove's  plantation  Cap1.  Inman  had  orders 
to  give  Avay  as  the  enemy  advanced  When  they  came  within  70 
yards  of  our  breastworks  a  heavy  &  destructive  fire  commenced 
on  them — 

The  action  was  bloody  &  obstinate  for  upwards  of  an  hour  &  a 
half.  The  enemy  had  got  within  a  few  yards  of  our  works;  at 
that  juncture  Col-  Innis  who  commanded  the  Enemy  was  badly 
tvounded  &  carried  back,  &  every  other  regular  Officer  except 
one  Lieutenant  of  the  British  were  either  killed  or  wounded 
when  the  enemy  began  to  give  way  just  at  that  moment  also 
Cap4-  Hawsey  an  Officer  of  considerable  distinction  among  the 
Tories  was  shot  down  near  our  lines  while  making  the  greatest 
efforts  to  animate  his  men-  The  Tories  upon  the  fall  of  Cap*- 
Hawsey  broke  in  great  confusion,  the  slaughter  from  thence  to 
the  Enoree  river  about  half  a  mile  was  very  great,  dead  men 
lay  thick  on  the  ground  over  which  our  men  pursued  the  enemy. 
In  this  pursuit  Cap1.  Inman  was  killed  while  pressing  the  enemy 
close  in  his  rear  great  merit  was  due  to  Cap*-  Inman  for  the 
manner  in  which  he  brought  on  the  action  &  to  which  the  suc- 

xThe  words  "and  they  jrave  hack  to  their  camp"  are  interlined  above. 
-Interlined  above  is :  commanded  by  Col.  Innis 


26 

cess  of  the  day  was  greatly  to  be  attributed-  This  action  was 
one  of  the  hardest  ever  fought  in  the  United  States  with  small 
arms-  the  smoke  was  so  thick  as  to  hide  a  man  at  the  distance 
of  20  yards-  Our  men  took  200  prisoners  during  the  action 
&  could  have  improved  the  victory  to  great  advantage-  their 
object  was  to  be  in  96  that  night,  distant  25  or  30  miles  &  weak 
&  defenceless.  But  just  after  the  close  of  the  action  an  express 
arrived  from  Gen1-  MeDowell  with  a  letter  to  him  from  Governor 
Caswell  informing  of  the  defeat  on  the  16th-  of  our  grand  army 
under  Gen1-  Gates  near  Camden-  In  this  situation  to  secure  a 
safe  retreat  was  a  most  difficult  task-  our  small  party  broke 
down  with  fatigue,  200  British  prisoners  in  charge  upwards  of 
40  miles  advance  of  Gen1-  McDowell  who  retreated  immediately 
&  dispersed  upon  the  receipt  of  the  news  of  Gates'  defeat — 
Ferguson  with  3000  men  almost  directly  in  their  rear-  It  re- 
quired all  the  vigilance  &  exertion  which  human  nature  was 
capable  of,  to  avoid  being  cut  to  pieces  by  Ferguson's  light 
parties-  It  was  known 'to  Col  Shelby  that  he  had  a  body  of 
dragoons  &  mounted  men  that  would  endeavour  to  intercept  them 
which  caused  him  to  bear  up  toward  the  mountains-the  enemy 
pursued  as  was  expected  50  or  60  miles  until  their  horses  broke 
down  &  could  follow  no  further-  It  is  to  be  remarked  that  during 
the  advance  of  upwards  of  40  miles,  &  the  retreat  of  50  or  60 
miles,  the  Americans  never  stoped  to  eat  but  made  use  of  peaches 
&  green  corn  for  their  support  the  excessive  fatigue  to  which 
they  were  subjected  two  nights  &  twro  days  effectually  broke  down 
every  cfficer  so  that  their  faces  &  eyes  swelled  &  became  so  bloated 
in  appearance  as  scarcely  to  be  able  to  see —  This  action  happened 
at  the  most  gloomy  period  of  the  revolution,  just  after  the  defeat 
&  dispersion  of  the  American  Army  &  is  not  known  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  revolution.  'After  our  party  had  retreated  into  No- 
Ca-  clear  of  their  pursuers  Col  Shelby  crossed  the  mountains 
to  his  own  country  &  left  the  prisoners  taken  in  the  action  in 
the  possession  of  Col  Clarke  to  carry  them  on  to  the  North  until 
they  could  be  safely  secured  he  gave  them  up  shortly  afterwards 
to  Col  Williams  to  conduct  them  to  Hillsborough  No-  Ca-  at 
this  period,  there  was  not  the  appearance  of  a  corps  of  americans 
embodied  any  where  to  the  Southward  of  Virginia-  In  this 
action  the  American  loss  was  small  in  comparison  with  that  of 
the  enemy  who  over  shot  them  as  they  lay  concealed  behind 


27 

their  breastworks-  The  loss  of  Cap4-  Inman  was  much  regretted 
he  fell  gloriously  fighting  for  his  country,  on  the  19th-  of  August 
1780-with  many  other  brave  spirits  who  volunteered  their  ser- 
vices on  that  occasion  &  defeated  an  enemy  far  superior  in  force 
to  their  own —  The  defeat  of  Gen1-  Gates,  the  surprise  &  com- 
plete dispersion  of  Gen1-  Sumter-  &  dispersion  of  Gen1- 
McDowell's  army,  no  appearance  of  an  american  army  existed  to 
the  Southward  of  Virginia,  &  many  of  the  Whigs  from  the  Caro- 
linas  &  Georgia  with  Gen1-  McDowell  at  their  head  retreated  to 
the  west  side  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains  for  refuge  from  a 
pursuing  foe-  It  was  at  this  gloomy  period  of  the  revolution  that 
Cols  Shelby,  Sevier,  Campbell  &  Gen1-  McDowell  who  fled  to  their 
country  began  to  concert  plans  for  collecting  a  force  &  making  a 
forced  march  to  surprise  Majr-  Ferguson  who  had  advanced  up 
to  the  foot  of  the  mountains  on  the  East  side  &  threatened  to 
cross  over  &  lay  waste  the  country  on  that  side  for  their  oppo- 
sition to  his  Majesty's  Arms — 

Although  David  Ramsey  the  historian  has  given  a  pretty  full 
account  of  the  affairs  of  South  Carolina,  of  their  first  measures 
taken  to  oppose  the  arbitrary  demands  of  Great  Britain,  yet 
there  are  a  number^of  matters  &  things  omitted,  that  may  be 
useful  to  the  present  generation1,  &  especially  as  it  is  probable 
that  a  number  of  new  states  will  yet  be  formed  in  the  great 
American  empire-  And  as  there  is  a  number  of  the  old  that  are 
looking  for  a  reformation  in  their  constitutions,  more  especially 
to  their  representative  system-  I  have  therefore  thought  proper 
to  give  a  short  history  of  the  proceedings  of  the  people  of  South 
Carolina  in  their  first  forming  the  constitution.  The  South 
Carolinians  took  a  very  determined  stand  to  oppose  the  measures 
of  Great  Britain,  for  as  soon  as  the  Boston  port  bill,  &  the  other 
oppressive  acts  of  the  British  parliament  were  known  to  them, 
the  people  of  Charleston  &  its  vicinity  convened  under  the  shade 
of  a  tree  in  the  commons,  &  then  &  there  they  entered  into 
several  resolves  to  oppose  the  arbitrary  measures  of  that  govern- 
ment, &  they  elected  &  sent  a  delegation  to  the  first  Congress 
that  met  in  Philadelphia  in  the  years  1774-  75  at  the  same  time 
they  formed  what  is  called  a  provincial  Congress2  &  assumed  all 
the  powers  of  government  by  emmitting  money  or  bills  of  credit, 

iXot  only  has  Ramsay  omitted  many  things,  but  he  has  given  erroneous 
accounts  of  many  of  the  matters  that  he  has  discussed. 

2The  mass  meetings  which  were  held  under  the  Liberty  Tree  did  not 
elect  the  delegation  to  the  Continental  Congress  in  July,  1774.  That  was 
done  by  a  convention  composed  of  delegates  from  various  parts  of  South 
Carolina.  It  provided  for  an  election  for  a  provincial  congress.  The 
election  was  held  in  December  and  the  congress  met  in  January,  1775. 


28 

raising  troops  for  the  defence  of  the  Province  The  Legislative 
power  they  held,  but  the  executive  was  placed  in  what  was  called 
a  council  of  safety  &  in  committees  in  different  parts-  The  reso- 
lutions of  this  Congress  &  the  recommendations  of  the  council 
of  safety  were  generally  complied  with-  as  they  had  been  laws 
enacted  by  all  necessary  power  &  authority.  This  first  Congress 
as  already  mentioned  was  chiefly  composed  of  citizens  from  the 
lower  division  of  the  province,  but  they  found  a  very  judicious 
plan  to  get  all  the  people  in  the  interior  &  upper  parts  of  the 
province  engaged  with  them,  which  was  to  deputise  two  very 
influential  characters,  one  a  clergyman  the  other  a  Law}7er,  the 
name  of  the  former  Tennent  the  latter  Drayton.  They  were 
to  go  to  the  interior  &  upper  country  &  explain  to  the  people  the 
nature  of  the  dispute  between  this  country  &  Great  Britain-& 
likewise  to  lay  off  the  country  into  Districts  as  places  of  general 
musters  &  to  hold  Elections  The  commissioners  merit  much 
for  the  care  &  pains  they  took  in  the  discharge  of  their  commis- 
sion, they  had  the  whole  of  the  State  laid  off  in  elective  districts 
not  by  surveyors  who  could  not  be  had  at  that  time  but  by  such 
natural  lines  as  rivers,  creeks,  roads  &c-for  under  the  old  govern- 
ment there  was  not  a  county  or  district  for  the  whole  of  the 
province  was  purchased  from  the  Ocean  to  the  mountains,  by 
this  arrangement  the  three  districts  (Richland-Fairfield  &  Ches- 
ter) were  called  the  districts  between  Broad  &  Cattawba  Rivers, 
their  place  of  meeting  at  Winnsborough-  the  district  then  called 
the  new  acquisition  (now  York)1  was  left  by  itself  the  other 
parts  of  the  State  was  laid  out  in  a  similar  way  as  most  agreeable 
to  the  people-  Each  of  the  districts  were  to  send  members  to 
the  provincial  Congress,  but  no  limit  as  to  numbers,  many  or  few, 
the  constitution  formed  by  the  provincials  was  nearly  such  as 
before  under  the  old  government-  The  first  magistrate  was 
stiled  President  &  commander  in  chief  he  was  to  have  a  privy 
council-the  general  assembly  was  to  elect  out  of  its  own  body 
13  members  7  of  whom  should  be  a  quorum,  the  members  were 
called  a  Legislative  council  these  were  as  a  house  of  Lords. 

iThe  territory  called  the  New  Acquisition  had  been  acquired  from  North 
Carolina  by  a  trade  made  in  1772.  It  consisted  of  those  parts  of  the 
present  counties  of  York.  Cherokee  and  Spartanburg  that  lie  north  of  the 
35th  degree  of  north  latitude.  In  exchange  therefor  South  Carolina  gave 
a  strip  lying  between  the  line  of  1764  (north  of  Marlboro,  Chesterfield 
and"  Lancaster  counties)  and  the  said  Sot'h  parallel  of  north  latitude  and 
east  of  the  reservation  of  the  Catawba  Indians,  and  constituting  portions 
of  the  present  counties  of  Mecklenburg,  Union,  Anson  and  Richmond. 


29 

The  President  or  commander  was  to  have  his  veto  or  negative 
on  all  bills  -Under  these  arrangements  the  State  progressed  in 
making  many  defensive  arrangements  still  looking  forward  with 
a  sincere  hope  that  a  reconciliation  with  great  Britain  would  be 
effected —  For  at  that  time  there  was  A*ery  few  if  any  of  the 
citizens  who  had  any  wish  for  independence  But  when  the  Con- 
tinental Congress  declared  the  13  states  Independent  of  great 
Britain  &  recommended  to  the  different  states  to  form  State 
constitutions  agreeable  to  free  &  independent  States,  then  it  was 
this  Provincial  congress  invited  the  different  Districts  to  send 
members  to  that  convention1;  and  it  was  left  to  the  People  the 
number  to  be  sent — About  this  time  the  citizens  of  the  new 
acquisition  met  &  sent  five  men  to  the  convention,2  but  these  men 
were  not  chosen  by  Ballot,  as  but  very  few  of  the  citizens  had 
any  knowledge  of  that  mode  of  preceding,  but  they  were  named 
by  such  as  pleased  to  give  their  assent —  A  short  time  after  they 
had  gone  to  Charleston  &  had  taken  their  seats,  a  number  of  the 
citizens  came  to  the  Iron  works  of  the  Author  and  expressed 
great  disapprobation  at  the  course  wrhich  had  been  taken,  not- 
withstanding  they  seemed  to  have  a  wish  to  preserve  both  Church 
&  State,  as  one  of  the  men  sent  was  a  ruling  Elder  of  the  church 
another  a  Dutchman,  he  was  to  take  care  of  money  matters;  the 
other  being  lately  from  Pensylvania  where  the  mode  of  choos- 
ing their  Representatives  was  by  ballot-  His  advice  was  to  convene 
the  Citizens,  on  a  certain  day  &  elect  them  by  Ballot-  They 
accordingly  met  &  elected  five  other  men3 — they  immediately  set 

iThis  is  all  wrong.  Just  what  is  to  be  expected  from  the  memory  of 
an  old  man.  The  2nd  Provincial  Congress  had  formed  an  independent 
government,  March  26,  1776,  and  had  resolved  itself  into  a  General 
Assembly.  The  General  Assembly,  at  its  second  session,  in  September, 
1776,  ratified  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  The  next  General  Assem- 
bly adopted  a  new  constitution  whereby  the  state  was  redistricted  and 
the  number  or  representatives  for  each  district  fixed. 

2Ten  delegates  were  sent  by  this  meeting  to  the  2nd  Provincial  Congress. 
They  were  Col.  Thomas  Neel,  Col.  Ezekiel  Polk,  Capt.  Samuel  Watson, 
Capt.  William  Byers,  Capt.  Alexander  Love,  Joseph  Howe,  James  Carson, 
Joseph  Woods,  Robert  Dickey  and  Francis  Adams. 

3They  also  elected  ten  delegates.  They  were  Ezekiel  Polk,  Samuel  Wat- 
son. William  Byers,  James  Carson,  Francis  Adams,  William  McCulloch, 
John  Howe,  Francis  Ross,  Robert  McAlfee  and  Thomas  Janes.  The  con- 
gress seated  this  delegation  also.  Five  men  were  elected  on  both  dele- 
gations so  that  the  New  Acquisition  had  fifteen  delegates  in  all.  These 
delegates  became  that  district's  representatives  in  the  first  General  As- 
sembly, March  26,  1776,  and  served  to  the  general  election  in  October, 
1776. 


30 

out  for  Charleston,  &  were  allowed  their  seats  with  the  other 
five-  This  will  account  for  the  new  Acquisition  having  10  mem- 
bers for  a  number  of  years  when  the  three  districts  between 
Broad  &  Catawba  River  had  only  the  same  number —  Previous 
to  the  meeting  of  this  convention  that  was  to  form  a  constitution 
upon  the  principles  of  Independence,  the  public  mind  was  much 
agitated  upon  the  grand  question,  whether  there  was  to  be  any 
Religious  establishment  of  one  denomination  of  Christians  over 
the  other  &  as  most  of  the  southern  provinces  had  been  under 
the  church  of  England  there  was  fear  that  if  any  denomination 
had  any  preference  over  the  other  it  would  in  a  great  measure 
prevent  that  Harmony  amongst  the  Citizens  which  was  necessary 
to  oppose  the  measures  of  the  British  government —  About  this 
time  a  number  of  the  principle  citizens  of  Charleston  had  a  num- 
ber of  memorials  or  petitions  printed  &  distributed  through  the 
different  parts  of  the  State-the  memorial  stated  the  bad  policy 
either  in  a  Religious  or  political  point  of  view  in  establishing 
any  one  religious  denomination  over  another.  One  of  these 
memorials  was  sent  to  the  Author  &  he  in  order  to  get  as  many 
names  as  possible —  (&  not  believing  in  the  doctrine  of  the  turks 
that  women  have  no  souls)  he  got  the  women  to  sign  their  names 
with  the  men-this  memorial  when  presented  was  a  novelty  &  mat- 
ter of  surprise  but  when  the  principle  was  properly  examined  it 
was  declared  to  be  correct-  happily  for  the  state  when  the  busi- 
ness was  brought  forward  in  the  Convention  even  those  who  had 
been  brought  up  adherents  of  the  established  church  of  England 
voted  &  spoke  in  favour  of  the  memorial  so  that  there  was  a  very 
small  minority  thus  happily  that  business  which  had  for  a  length 
of  time  filled  the  minds  of  the  Citizens  with  fearful  forebodings 
was  settled —  In  this  place  I  shall  observe  that  Being  who  created 
all  things  He  who  hath  the  hearts  of  the  human  under  his  con- 
trol &  that  it  was  owing  to  His  agency  that  this  matter  termi- 
nated so  happily-  By  the  constitution  established  by  the  con- 
vention, the  Legislative  Power  was  vested  in  a  Senate  &  House 
of  Representatives —  The  Executive  power  was  vested  in  a  Gov- 
ernor &  Commander  in.  chief,  he  had  no  Legislative  power-  The 
judiciary  with  the  the  other  officers  were  elected  by  the  Gen1.  As- 
sembly—When that  part  of  the  Constitution  which  respects  the 
Representation  (was  debated?)1  a  proposition  was  made  by  one  of 
the  most  influential  members,  that  Charleston  should  have  30 
members,  in  the  H.  of  Reps.  &  two  in  the  Senate  The  other  dis- 

IThe  words  in  parentheses  were  evidently  inserted  either  by  Gen.  Sum- 
ter  or  Mr.  Brownfield. 


31 

tricts  in  the  State  might  choose  as  many  as  they  thought  proper — 
The  proposition  was  agreed  to  by  a  very  large  majority-and 
the  members  at  a  given  time  were  to  give  in  the  numbers  they 
wished,  &  this  was  done  without  adopting  any  principle  of  popu- 
lation wealth,  or  any  thing  else1 — Whilst  this  business  was  pend- 
ing your  Author  took  great  pains,  to  induce  the  members  to 
send  such  a  number  as  would  be  a  proper  balance  to  the  great 
number  from  Charleston —  And  amongst  a  number  of  things, 
the  following  ideas  "That  the.  32  members  from  Charleston 
would  have  a  great  advantage  over  the  other  from  their 
local  situation,  having  it  in  their  power  to  arrange  all  the  plans 
they  wished  for :  that  in  a  short  time  we  would  find  we  lived  under 
an  aristocratical  &  not  a  free  representative  government — that  as 
we  had  the  loaf  to  cut,  we  should  take  such  a  cut  as  wd.  prevent 
the  evils  to  be  feared"-  -  But  as  if  some  fate  had  attended  the 
business,  not  one  of  them  would  be  brought  to  see  as  I  did, 
although  numbers  of  them  were  far  superior  in  abilities  to  my- 
self—  By  this  contracted  policy,  the  now  three  districts  of  Rich- 
land.  Fail-field  &  Chester  were  content  to  send  one  senator  & 
10  Representatives2;  the  most  of  the  upper  districts  adopted  a 
similar  policy,  but  the  most  of  the  lower  districts  had  C  Repre- 
sentatives and  one  Senator,  until  some  time  after  the  peace-  No 
great  evil  was  felt,  but  in  a  few  years  the  great  emigration  from 
the  other  States,  and  the  other  districts  remaining  stationary 
caused  the  inequality  to  be  felt- 

A  large  tract  of  country  was  purchased  of  the  Cherokee  In- 
dians &  was  soon  thick  settled  so  the  inequality  became  in  time 
between  the  upper  &  lower  divisions  of  the  State  as  16  to  one3  & 
although  the  defect  in  the  constitution  was  evident  to  every 
impartial  eye  yet  so  is  power  that  however  improper  they  are 
not  for  giving  it  up-&  so  it  happened  in  this  case  for  notwith- 

iAs  there  had  been  no  census  no  one  knew  the  population  or  wealth. 
They  could  only  be  estimated,  and  the  figures  so  estimated  would  doubtless 
have  -varied  according  to  the  minds  of  the  estimators. 

-It  is  quite  likely  that  in  1778  Charles  Town  contained  fully  three 
times  the  population  and  wealth  that  were  in  the  district  between  the 
Broad  and  Catawba  rivers. 

3A  treaty  with  the  Cherokees  was  consummated  by  Gov.  Glen  at  Saluda 
Old  Town  in  1755.  whereby  the  Indians  ceded  all  lands  between  the  white 
settlements  and  their  nation.  These  lands  were  rapidly  filled  up  with 
settlers  from  England.  Scotland,  Ireland,  Germany  and  France,  but 
the  proportion  of  sixteen  to  one  was  not  reached  by  1778,  nor  has  it  been 
reached  yet.  In  1777  the  Cherokees  were  driven  out  of  South  Carolina 
and  the  lands  formerly  occupied  by  them  in  South  Carolina  opened  to 
settlers. 


32 

standing  the  most  vigorous  efforts  every  meeting  of  the  Legis- 
lature— the  system  still  remained  for  about  20  years  &  then  it 
was  granted  [only  when]  until  the  members  of  the  upper  di- 
vision came  to  a  determination  no  longer  to  submit  but  to  apply 
to  the  general  assembly  that  had  promised  to  guarantee  to  each 
State  a  republican  form  of  government1.  About  6  years  past  a 
reform  took  place  &  now  each  district  has  one  Senator  &  repre- 
sentatives in  proportion  to  the  population  &  the  amount  of  taxes 
paid  to  the  support  of  government.  I  now  go  back  breaking  the 
order  of  time  to  relate  that  some  time  after  the  peace  took  place 
the  meeting  &  sitting  of  the  Legislature  was  in  Charleston  it 
being  in  the  corner  of  the  State  &  a  commercial  city  these  & 
[other]  reasons  induced  the  Legislature  to  purchase  a  tract  a 
land  now  Columbia  &  to  build  a  state  house  but  this  arrange- 
ment not  being  fixed  by  the  constitution  a  convention  was  called 
to  have  it  fixed  wrhen  this  convetion  [met]  at  Columbia  there  was 
much  of  what  may  be  called  parliamentary  jokey  ing-there  was 
a  large  number  of  members  from  Charleston  &  its  vicinity  who 
were  for  keeping  it  in  Cha-ton —  &  in  order  to  divide  the  votes 
three  places  were  proposed  (viz)  at  the  High  Hills,  one  near 
Col  Thompson,  &  one  at  Columbia,  but  the  sagacity  of  the 
country  members  prevented  the  fate  of  the  plan  that  was  laid  for 
[them],  notwithstanding  the  members  from  Charleston  &  all  the 
lower  members  who  voted  for  it2  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  men  — yet  the  votes  were  for  Columbia  &  only  by  one —  this 

!ln  1790  (twelve  years  later)  a  new  constitution  was  adopted  which 
changed  the  representation  to  suit  changed  conditions.  Of  course  the 
census  of  1800  and  each  succeeding  ten  years  brought  changes  in  the  repre- 
sentation in  the  House.  There  was  an  inequality  in  the  Senate.  A  large 
and  populous  election  district  had  but  one  senator,  while  a  small  dis- 
trict sparsely  populated  with  trhitc  people  had  one  senator.  Most  of  the 
parishes  (each  of  which  constituted  an  election  district)  in  the  Low-Country 
were  in  the  latter  class.  That  was  the  bone  of  contention  which  dis- 
gruntled many  men  of  the  Up-Country  from  the  Revolution  to  3865.  The 
words  "only  when"  in  brackets  were  interlined  by  Mr.  Sumter  or  Mr. 
Brownfield :  so  was  the  word  "other"  lower  down,  and  the  word  "met" 
still  farther  down. 

2Col.  Hill  mixed  his  facts  as  to  this  also.  It  was  in  178<i,  when  the 
bill  to  establish  Columbia  was  up,  that  Stateburg  (on  the  High  Hills  of 
Santee)  and  Manigault's  plantation,  near  Col.  William  Thomson's,  were 
brought  into  competition  with  the  site  named  in  the  bill.  On  the  passage 
of  the  bill  in  the  House,  with  the  site  named  in  bill,  it  carried  by  a  con- 
siderable majority.  An  amendment  was  offered  to  make  Manigault's 
plantation  the  site.  The  amendment  was  lost  by  tiro  majority,  not  one. 
That  story  about  one  majority  for  the  site  whereon  Columbia  stands  has 
given  rise  to  a  popular  myth  to  the  effect  that  Stateburg  came  within  one 
vote  of  winning.  Columbia  was  selected  over  all  by  the  House.  The  Senate 
gave  a  two-thirds  vote  in  favor  of  the  Columbia  site. 

The  word  them  in  brackets  was  interlined  by  Mr.  Sumter  or  the  copyist. 


33 

trial  of  strength  gave  encouragement  for  the  members  of 
Charton —  to  threathen  its  removal  at  a  future  period-  this  threath 
induced  the  the  country  members  to  have  in  the  constitution 
another  clause  (viz)  that  no  alteration  should  take  place  but  by 
two  thirds  of  both  the  branches  of  the  Legislature  at  one  meet- 
ing and  then  after  a  new  election  by  the  same  vote — this  had 
the  good  effect  to  prevent  any  further  attempt  to  remove  the 
government  to  Charleston  But  as  most  good  things  have  their 
alloy  of  evil  this  was  a  great  bar  in  the  way  of  having  the  repre- 
sentation fixed  upon  a  proper  principle,  let  it  be  observed  there 
is  a  power  who  governs  the  fate  of  nations  as  that  of  individuals 
&  this  power  often  makes  use  of  means  that  may  be  thought  by 
the  human  eye  to  be  weak  &  contemptible  weak  instrument  as  I 
was  had  I  acted  upon  the  policy  which  other  men  of  superior 
abilities  did  as  has  been  already  stated  &  had  I  been  content 
with  two  or  three  representatives  instead  of  ten  &  a  Senator- 
when  the  votes  were  taken  as  before  said  that  instead  of  one  in 
favour  there  would  have  been  five  or  six  against  it —  Upon  this 
the  most  probable  result  would  have  been  that  the  great  & 
essential  benefits  of  having  the  State  government  permanently 
fixed  would  not  have  been  as  early  by  many  years  &  most  prob- 
ably not  before  the  Reform  which  took  place  about  six  years 
ago. , 

23  of  January  1835= 

This  is  a  true  copy,  including  corrections,  of  a  manuscript 
which  I  received  from  my  father  written  in  the  year  1815  by 
Co'-Wm.  Hill  and  which  never  has  been  out  of  his  possession 
or  mine  since  it  was  received  from  the  author  except  in  that 
of  Mr.  J.  W.  Brownfield  who  made  this  copy  &  of  Hhos.  D. 
Sumter  who  assisted  me  in  examining  &  correcting  the  same  from 
the  original  which  I  this  day  deliver  to  Francis  B  Sumter  by 
the  desire  of  Co1  Hill  son  of  the  author  to  be  delivered 

into  his  hands — taking  a  receipt  therefor  - 

Tho.  Sumter 


INDEX 


Adams,    Francis,    29(2). 
Alleghany  Mountains,  27. 
Anson  County,  N.  C.,  28. 
Augusta,  Ga.,  Americans  hanged  at, 

24. 

Beatty's    Ford.    18. 
Bigers's  Ferry,  17. 
Bills  of  Credit,  27. 
Black  River,  14. 
Blackstock's,   Battle  at,   14-15. 
Boston  Port  Bill,  27. 
Brandon,    Col.    Thomas,    16,    18(2), 

19. 

Bratton,  Col.  William,  6. 
Broad    and    Catawba    Rivers,    Dis- 
trict between,  28,  29,  31. 
Broad  River,  24(2)  ;  Attack  on  Sum- 

ter's  camp  near,  13-14. 
Brownfield,  J.  W.,  3(2),  30,  32,  33. 
Brownfield  copy  of  Hill's  memoirs, 

3(3). 

Brownfield  family.  3. 
Bryan,  Col.,  12. 

Bullock's   Creek   Meeting   House.   6. 
Byers,  William,  29    (2). 
Camden,   6 ;    Americans   hanged   at, 

24;   Battle  of,  13.   16,   26. 
Campbell,    Col.   William,   22(2),   24, 

27. 

Cane    Creek,    16. 
Carson,  James.  29(2). 
Caswell,      Governor      Richard      (of 

North  Carolina),  26. 
Catawba  River.  8,  16,  17. 
Charles     Town     (Charleston     after 

August,  1783),  3,  4,  6(2).  10,  27. 

29(2),  30(2),  31(3). 
Charleston     (after    August.     1783), 

32(4),   33(3). 

Charlotte,  N.  C..  17.  19,  20. 
Cherokee  County,  28. 
Cherokee  Ford,  16. 
Cherokee    Indians,   Cession  by,   31. 
Chester  District    (created  in  1798), 

28,  31. 


Chesterfield  County,  28. 

Church   of   England,    30. 

Clarke,   Col.   Elijah,    16(2),    24,   26. 

Clem's  Branch,  8. 

Cleveland,   Col.   Benjamin,  22. 

Columbia,  Founding  of,  32. 

Cougarees,   The,   6. 

Congress,  Continental,  7(2),  27,  29. 

Congress,  Provincial,  27,  28(2),  29. 

Constitutions     of     South     Carolina, 

Discussion  of  the,  27-33. 
Convention  of  July,  1774,  27. 
Cope,   Lieutenant,   15. 
Cornwallis,   Lord.   6.   13,   17(2),   19, 

20,  21. 

Council  of  Safety,  28. 
Cowen's  Ford,   18. 
Cowpens,   The,   21,   22(3),   24. 
Davidson,  Gen.,  18(2). 
Davie,  Col.  W.  R.,  12. 
Dickey,  Robert.  29. 
Drayton.    William    Henry.    28. 
England,  31 ;  Church  of.  30. 
Enoree   River,   24(2),   25. 
Krvin.  Col.,  12. 
Established  Church,  30. 
Fail-field  District  (created  in  1798), 

11,    28.    31. 
Ferguson,    Col.     (killed    at'  Huck's 

defeat),  9,  10. 
Ferguson,    Col.    Patrick     (killed    at 

Kind's    Mountain).    18.    19(2),    20 

(4),   21(4).   22.   23.   24(2),   26(2), 

27. 

Fishing  Creek.  Battle  of.  13. 
Floyd.  Col.    (Tory),  s. 
France.  31. 
Gates.   Gen.   Horatio.    Defeat   of,   at 

Camdeii.  16,  17.  26(2).  27. 
General  Assembly,  2S. 
Georgia,  7,  27. 
Germany,  31. 
Gibson,  Lieutenant.   15. 
Glen,  Gov.  James,  31. 
Governor,   30. 


35 


Granby,  6. 

Great  Britain,  27(2),  28,  29(2). 

Grimes,  Col.,  18. 

Hambright,    Lieut.    Col..    18,    22. 

Hampton,   Col.    Henry,    18. 

Hanging  Rock,  Capture  of,  12-13,  16, 

20. 

Hart,  John  R.,  3. 
Hawsey,  Capt,  25(2). 
Hawthorn,   Lieut.   Col.   James,   22. 
Hayne,   Isaac    (1745-1781),  8. 
Henderson,   Gen.   William,   18. 
High  Hills  of  Santee,  32. 
Hill,— ,son  of  Col.  William,  3,  33. 
Hill  family,  3. 

Hill's  Iron  Works,  6,  8,  9,  29. 
Hillsborough,   N.   C.,   17(2),   18,   26. 
House  of  Representatives,,  30. 
Howe,  John,  29. 
Howe,  Joseph,  29. 
Huck,   Capt.   Christian,   8,  9(4),    10 

(2). 

Huck's  Defeat,  9-10. 
Indian  (Catawba)  lands,  17. 
Indians,  24,  31. 

Inman,    Capt.    Shadrack,  25(4),   27. 
Innis,  Col.,  25(2). 
Ireland,  31. 
Iron  Works.  Hill's,  6,  8,  9,  29;  Old, 

Lawson's  Fork,  20,  21. 
Jones,  Thomas,  29. 
Johnson.  -          — ,  11,  12. 
Judiciary,   30. 
King's  Mountain,   21 ;    Battle   of,   4 

(2),    15,   22-24. 
Lacey,   Col.   Edward,    14,   16(2),   18 

(3),  20(2),  21(5),  22(2). 
Lancaster  County,  28. 
Lawson's  Fork,  20,  21. 
Legislative  Council,  28. 
Liberty  Tree,   Charles  Town,  27-28. 
Library  of  Congress,  3(2). 
Love,  Alexander,  29. 
Manigault's  plantation,  32. 
Marlboro  County,  28. 
Mason's  Ferry,  17. 
McAfee,  Robert,  29. 
McCulloch.    William,   29. 
McDowell,  Gen.,  24 (4) ,  26 (2) ,  27  (3) . 


McDowell,  Major,  16. 

Mecklenburg  County,  N.  C.,  12,  28. 

Miles,  Major,  16. 

Money,  27. 

Money,  Major,  15. 

Musgrove's  Mill,  Capture  of  post  at, 

in,  24. 

Musgrove's   plantation,   25. 
Myddeltoix,    Col.    Charles  -  Starkey. 

18. 
Neel,  Col.  Andrew,  7,  8(2)  ;  Death 

of,   11. 

Neel,  Col.  Thomas,  29. 
Negroes,  8,  10,  11,  17. 
New  Acquisition,  4,  6,  28,  29(2). 
New  York,  25. 
Ninety     Six,     25,     26;     Americans 

hanged  at,   24. 

Ninety   Six  District,  6,  16,  20,  21. 
North    Carolina,    7,    8,    12(2),    16, 

17(2),    18,    19(2),    20,   26(2),   28. 
Orangeburgh,  6. 
Parris,  Capt,  6(3). 
Pennsylvania,  29. 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  8,  27. 
Pickens,    Col.    (subsequently    Gen.) 

Andrew.   6;    Surrender  of  a  fort 

in  Ninety  Six  District  by,  6. 
Polk,   Ezekiel,   29(2). 
President  of  South  Carolina,  28,  29. 
Prince  of  Wales's  Regiment,/rhe,  13. 
Privy  Council,  28. 

Provincial   Congress,   27,  28(2),  29. 
Queen's    American    Regiment,    The, 

25. 

Ruinsay,   Dr.    David,   27. 
Ramsour's  Mill,  8. 
Rawdon,  Lord,  6(3),  17(2). 
Richlaud  District  (created  in  1800), 

28,  31. 

Richmond    County,   N.    C.,   28. 
Rocky  Mount,  6,  8(2),  10(2)  ;  Sum- 

ter's  attack  on,  11-12. 
Ross,  Francis,  29. 
Rutherford,   Gen.   Griffith,   8(2). 
Rutledge,  Governor  John,  17,  18(2). 
Salisbury,  N.  C.,  8. 
Saluda  Old  Town,  31. 
Savannah,  Ga.,  6. 


36 


Scotland.  31. 

Senate,  30. 

Sevier,  Lieut.  Col.  John.  27. 

Shelby,    Col.    Isaac,    16(2),    22,    24, 

25,  26(2),  27. 
Smith's   Ford,   24(2). 
Southern  States,  7(2). 
Spartanburg  County,  28. 
State  House,  Columbia,  32. 
Stateburg,  32. 
Summerville,  3. 
Sumter,    Francis   B.,   33. 
Sumter,    Gen.   Thomas,   3(4),   4(2), 

6,    8(2,    then    Col.),    11,    12(4), 

13(4),  14,  15(2),  16(2),  17(4),  18, 

27,  30;   Wounding  of,  15;   Death 

of.  3. 
Sumter,    Thomas,    son    of   above,   3 

(4),  32,  33. 

Sumter,  Thomas  D.,  3.  33. 
Tarleton,   Lieut.   Col.   Banastre,   14, 

17,    19,   20,   22. 
Tennent,  Rev.  William,  28. 
Thomas,   Col.   John,  Jr.,   18. 
Thomson,   Col.   William,  32. 


Tuckaseegee  Ford,  18. 

Tyger   River.    14(2). 

Union  County,  N.  C.,  28. 

United    States,   26. 

Virginia,  26,  27. 

Washington,    Gen.    George,    7(2). 

Watson,   Samuel,  6,  29(2). 

Waxhaws,   The,   6(2), 

Weymyss,   Major,   13(2),   14. 

Williams.  Col.  James,  15,  16,  17,  18, 

19,  20,  21,  22,  24,  26;   Death  of, 

23. 

.  Williamson.   Gen.  Andrew,  6. 
Williamson's   plantation,   Battle   at, 

9-10. 

Winn,    Col.    Richard,   18. 
Winnsborough,  28. 
Woman  suffrage.  An  early  instance 

of.  30. 

Woods,  Joseph,   29. 
Yadkin  River,  17. 
York,  3. 

York    County    (since   1868),    28. 
York  District    (1800-1808),  4,  6.  10, 

28. 


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